Effective leaders and team members are trusted. Implicitly. As soon as that fragile trust unravels…regardless of reason…the entire leadership relationship unravels. Importantly, trust is not solely dependent on the results achieved by the leader. One can achieve great results, and sometimes not be trusted. One can demonstrate pretty bizarre actions, and still sometimes evoke a level of trust.
Professors Allan Lind and Sim Sitkins, at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, created the “Six Domains of Leadership” model. Trust, along with credibility and community, is one of their three foundational resources necessary to be a good leader. Lind explains: “Leaders need to work to earn the trust of those they lead. Think about it—when you follow someone, you are giving up some of your independence in the interest of doing what the leader says is right for the team or the organization. Why would you do this if you didn’t trust the leader? But leaders can build and sustain trust by showing respect and understanding to those they lead.” Once a leader loses trust, the game is over.
Talking about games….
There has been much media frenzy around (now former) University of Michigan Athletic Director Dave Brandon. This very successful corporate CEO at Domino’s Pizza and Valassis Communications has also achieved impressive results at UM athletics: See the Detroit News article at http://detne.ws/1wZ7XoR. But in doing so, the support and trust of his constituency eroded. Students were angered over ticket price increases and student seating changes for UM football games. The Board of Regents nixed his ideas for non-traditional things like firework displays at the “Big House” on game day. Add in the tipping points of a losing football season, enraging a legion of fans, and the issue around the football coach fielding an injured player….and it is game over for Dave. He resigned on Halloween.
I interviewed Dave on my PBS Detroit television series “Leaders on Leadership”, and really like the guy. His outstanding records at Domino’s, Valassis… and even UM if one does an unemotional analysis… stand for themselves. There are many opinions about what happened at UM. He may have under-appreciated the huge difference in working environments. We pizza buyers may/may not like Domino’s pizza, but it isn’t an emotional decision. It’s dinner. Football at a school like UM is a viscerally passionate topic and the old ways die hard. Leading change can always be a minefield, especially here and it is critical to build the trust of one’s constituency.
On the other hand, let’s look north to Canada. Now former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s term in office was marked with chemical substance abuse. His outrageous comments and actions were the stuff of movies, though it isn’t clear if they are comedies or tragedies. Toronto, truly a world class city, was repeatedly embarrassed around the globe. Ford did not run for re-election as Mayor. He DID run for City Council from his home district of Etobicoke….and won in a landslide. Go figure. But these citizens are free to elect whomever they believe is the best candidate.
I started this piece stating that trust was a nebulous thing. Dave Brandon, a superbly conscientious, proven, and capable leader lost the trust of the UM community despite achieving many of the key results…and “chose” to resign. Mayor Ford was an embarrassing clown as Mayor, but his home district re-elected him to City Council in a landslide.
Leadership is not a single dimension. Leaders have to achieve the targeted results. They also have to actively work to build and maintain the trust of those being led. Even if there are some rough times down the road, well established trust will carry the leader…and the team…through to another day.
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