In a recent interview, David Horsager, CEO from The Trust Edge Leadership Institute spoke about a survey conducted with 6,000 employees across different businesses and countries. Why are some leaders able to steer their team in the right direction with a steady hand on the helm?
In his study, he found that the most effective leaders possess these qualities:
1. Clarity: People trust the clear and mistrust the ambiguous.
2. Compassion: People put faith in those who care beyond themselves.
3. Character: People notice those who do what is right over what is comfortable.
4. Competency: People have confidence in those who stay fresh, relevant, and capable.
5. Commitment: People believe in those who stand through adversity.
6. Connection: People want to follow, buy from, and be around friends.
7. Contribution: People immediately respond to results.
8. Consistency: People love to see the little things done consistently.
Horsager’s book called The Trust Edge includes decades of research including the most extensive national study on trust called The Trust Outlook. His company holds workshops and training to organizations as different as The New York Yankees, Verizon and The Department of Homeland Security.
A Model Leader of Dogged Integrity
Most employees crave the opportunity to learn from great leaders. They want someone who is both strong yet vulnerable enough to admit problems. The best leaders are crystal clear in their communications and don’t over complicate matters. In fact, they strive toward the simple approach.
The first business leader I worked for was Ron Doggett. Ron was the CEO of GoodMark Foods and purchased the bakery business that my wife and I owned in the late 80’s. Ron was not a charismatic leader but was a soft-spoken Midwesterner whose character was impeccable and who led with his head and his heart.
I was fortunate to begin working as an employee in that organization because I got a valuable lesson in trust. Everyone trusted Ron. His word was all we needed. He followed through on every commitment, and he was consistent in his actions. He demonstrated a commitment to his community through his work. I always enjoyed walking through the Slim Jim plant with Ron as he could remember the name of dozens of line workers and demonstrated a genuine compassion and appreciation for their contributions.
The company Ron ran was successful, profitable and grew at a rapid pace. During the time I got to work with him, the business doubled in revenue and tripled in profitability. I learned so many valuable lessons from Ron’s leadership as well as the importance of building trust into a brand.
Trust Matters
According to this study by Horsager, companies with trusted leaders are more successful based on revenue, profits, and employee retention. Even when they face difficult industry challenges, trusted leaders can weather challenging business environments and by persistently leading their teams toward a well-thought-out opportunity.
Trust is not a collection of tricks, it is anchored through a leader’s character.
Need marketing advice from strategy to tactics? With decades of marketing experience, perhaps I can help. Call me at 919 720 0995 or email me at jeffslater@themarketingsage.com – or book some time to talk on my calendar.
Photo by Luca Bravo on Unsplash
