The phone hacking scandal and ongoing fallout has made the issue of trust a hot topic.
While the public’s trust falters in the Police, Media and Government , the UK ‘s workforce is also losing confidence in their senior managers. The latest CIPD employee outlook report says that trust in senior leaders has dropped yet again, from +3 to –1 from the previous quarter.
The CIPD advise that senior and line managers should put more emphasis on communicating effectively to help rebuild trust. But it can be a challenge to know where to start on a practical level.
Here is one way to build open, honest relationships with everyone you work with, whether your boss, your team members or your colleagues.
Exchanging Expectations.
We all have expectations of others who we work with. But most of us don’t voice them. Then when people don’t live up to our expectations we get frustrated - but is it really their fault?
Discussing an exchange of expectations is a way of setting some solid foundations for your working relationships and creating open and honest communication between you.
The key steps….
1. start by explaining to other person what you would like to do and why and then ensure you both have some thinking time before coming back together to discuss your expectations of each other.
2. Ensure you discuss specific examples of your expectations. Common expectations are for managers to be “supportive” and for team members to be “loyal” but there are many definitions of these words. For one person, being supportive may mean wanting recognition for the effort they put in, for another it may mean specifically having time with their manager each week to discuss work related issues. Both are right and if a manager understands the specifics and follows through on them, it can be a great motivator. Similarly, if you want “loyalty” from your team, explain how and give examples to clarify
3. Write down what has been agreed and ensure you each have a copy
4. Set a review date. It is vital that you check in with each other to ensure you are both living up to what you said you would do. Get and give examples…if you or they can’t give one this should tell you the expectation hasn’t been met. Better to know sooner rather than later so you can do something about it.
5. Be aware that expectations change and evolve as the relationship or role changes, so it is important to revisit them on a regular basis. Don’t assume anything!
By spending time taking an interest in your people and giving them an opportunity to be involved in the way they are managed, you will really start to build trust and respect.
Claire McCartney, CIPD Resourcing and Talent Adviser says, “Evidence suggests that where employees benefit from effective communication and feel their views matter, and are taken into account before decisions are made, they are more likely to remain engaged in their work and committed to the organisation.”
Why not start that engagement with an exchange of expectations and let us know what effect it has….
