Trusting Leadership
‘Lack of trust’ in leadership is not a new problem. This phrase is commonly linked with the phrase “toxic leadership” and is one of the multiple reasons why there’s a need for a Complaints Resolution Program in the Air Force.
Do you trust your leadership? This is a question that I ask Airmen regularly fulfilling my duties as Superintendent in the Office of the Inspector General (IG). People come to my office when they are at or near rock bottom and feel as if they have nowhere else to turn for resolution of a problem or concern. The Air Force prefers to solve problems at the lowest level utilizing the Chain of Command however, that is only a recommendation. Under Title 10 USC 1034, “No person may restrict a member of the Armed Forces in communicating with a member of Congress or an Inspector General”. When a complainant comes in with an issue or concern, as a rule of thumb I always ask if their leadership is aware, 90% of the time the answer is “No”. I then follow up with the question “Why not, do you trust your leadership?” I think you can guess what the answer to that question normally is…you guessed it, it’s a big “NO”. In attempt to peel the onion back to get to the root of the complainant’s problem, I then ask the magic question “Why don’t you trust your leadership?” Over time, I’ve recognized a common denominator; a huge gap for leaders attempting to build cohesion to accomplish their organization’s mission. This gap is a blind spot for most and when gone undetected, can lead to an organizational “dumpster fire!” This gap creates a lack of trust in leadership that many of our Airmen experience.
There are three key character traits that form the foundation for which trust is built upon. Before I get into what those three traits are, we must first discuss exactly what trust is. If I asked 10 people what trust means to them, I bet I would get 10 different answers. For the sake of being consistent, from a leadership perspective, I believe it’s reasonable to describe the word trust as meaning “confidence.” Now that we know exactly what trust means, let’s discuss its three foundational traits. I visually reference these three traits by utilizing the “Trust Triangle.”
The first trait that trust is built on is Empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Empathy should not be confused with sympathy. Being empathetic means that you can put yourself in someone else’s shoes to see things from their perspective even though you’ve never shared the experience. The goal of empathy is making someone feel that you have their best interest at heart. If you lack empathy, it’s going to be extremely difficult to build trust. Luckily, empathy is a trait that can be learned. Here are a few strategies that can be used to help increase your level of empathy;
- Acknowledge the feelings of others
- Compliment the persons’ emotions or situations
- When you care, show it
- Explain your decisions, don’t just make them
The second trait that trust is built on is Logic. Logic is the quality of being justifiable by reason aka “reasonableness.” Think about someone you know who lacks logic or in other words, doesn’t make any sense at all making them hard to understand. Is it likely that you would trust this person? Probably not. Logic is also a trait that can also be learned. Here are a few strategies that can be used to help increase your level of logic;
- Make your feedback direct and constructive & check for acceptance
- Seek first to understand, then to be understood
- Tackle a tough conversation
- Explain your decisions, don’t just make them
The third trait that trust is built on is Genuineness. Genuineness is the quality of truly being what something is said to be aka being “authentic” or “keeping it real.” People need to know who they are getting when they come to you. Disingenuousness can be spotted from a mile away and can be a huge barrier for those who struggle with influence. Again, genuineness is a trait that can be learned. Here are a few strategies that can be used to help increase your level of genuineness;
- Avoid giving mixed signals
- Align your intent with your impact/actions
- Take feedback well
- Be yourself
Let’s put this theory to a two-part test. First, I would like you to think of someone that you do NOT trust. Once you have that person in mind, from a scale of 0 to 10 with 10 being the highest, please rate their level of empathy. Then do the same for logic and genuineness. How did that person rate in each trait? I find it common for the results to show gaps in one or two of the traits. Sometimes, there may be gaps for all three traits but remember, these traits can be learned by practicing the strategies I mentioned above regularly.
Next, I would like you to think of someone that you DO trust. Once you have that person in mind, from a scale of 0 to 10 with 10 being the highest, please rate their level of empathy. Then do the same for logic and genuineness. How did that person rate in each trait?
I find it common that the person whom you do trust rates much higher in all three traits than the person who you do not trust. This is not a coincidence; trust is the foundation for which strong relationships are built on. Trust is a peculiar resource; it is built, rather than depleted by use. Trust is built over time and can be lost very quickly. Bottom line, the probability of successfully building trust increases as your levels of empathy, logic and genuineness increase! The key to building leaders who are armed with the skills needed to advance the World’s Greatest Air and Space Force lies in our ability to build positive relationships. Those relationships must be built on Trust!
Editor’s Note: Senior Master Sergeant Jovan Leach hails from San Antonio Texas. He has earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership. He has served in several distinct leadership roles throughout his career including positions in military healthcare operations, Air Force recruiting, and complaints resolution as part of the Inspector General’s office.