A major challenge for Leaders and their Teams going forward is trust. Trust is at the core of our capabilities and could outcomes. If you have a work-relationship that lacks trust, you do not have a working relationship. Fundamentally, researchers at Harvard have found three core components to building trust.
Authenticity
Many leaders struggle with understanding the impact of authenticity on their teams. If a team member does not believe you are presenting yourself, your asks, or your ideas forward in an authentic way, they can lose trust. This shift in confidence can result in reduced trust and work-product because your team member does not feel safe.
TIP - Try being in front of your team less often, but 100% engaged when you are with them.
Logic
It is effortless for teams to get lost in logic. There are two forms of logic that are most likely to impact an organization. The first is that the leader's logic is flawed through a substantive issue, meaning there is something in the leader's plan that feels flawed to the team, causing a break in trust. Alternatively, a leader might have a great plan, but their communication style does not allow them to deliver that message effectively. More often than not, they break down in logic is over a communication (style) versus the substance of the leader's plan.
TIP: Storytelling is not always effective for teams, try getting to the point first and backfilling the context as you move forward.
Empathy
In today's work environment, multitasking can lead to distraction. Even the best multitasker is dividing attention and shifting presence between the distraction and team member. As a leader, if you are at all distracted, you are not team or individual focused. That means rather than being engaged and empathetic to that person's needs or ask you are expecting them to share your time with your own self-distraction instead.
TIP: Remove distractions from your reach when you are trying to engage with your team.
Balance
It is essential to keep balance in all three of these areas, as any shift will lead to a change in the team's trust. If, as a leader, you are not authentic, your team will see that and could question your intention. If you are not balancing logic, your team members might think your plan is missing substance or that the communication of the plan is ineffective. Your team might see this and question following your lead because they do not trust your judgement. Finally, if you are not leading with empathy, your team members might not feel understood or seen, which could erode trust and diminish results.
TIP: If you are worried about your team's productivity, take some time to evaluate your team trust.
This information and these tips are based on research completed at Harvard by Frances Frei and Anne Morriss