1. Develop trust and credibility (trustworthiness, dependability). When people trust you, they will be more inclined (willing) to follow you. If they follow you, and you have all the pieces of the puzzle in place as described throughout this course, you will succeed. A leader builds trust by considering the “good of all” when making decisions. Leaders do not abuse their power, but build trust by using it properly. Trust fosters (encourage, nurture, promote) collaboration, which contributes to openly sharing information, which then creates a solid team who supports each other. Trust is based on the respect and expectations of a leader who cares and acts with compassion (pity, mercy, sympathy) in a most positive way. With trust there is: • Honesty • Integrity • Compassion (pity, mercy, sympathy) • Fairness • Good relationships
Incorporating (combining) these five traits (quality, characteristic) will help guide you on the right path to strong leadership.
2. Share the vision with absolute clarity. Leaders need to share the vision of what they want their department to achieve. For example, a leader might share a vision like, “We will be a world class customer service organization that provides the benchmark (criterion for measuring the level) for customer satisfaction.” To get others to see and understand your vision, you need to motivate and inspire with the same enthusiasm and positivity you have inside you.
It is vital, however, that your team understands the vision, and is 100% clear on the objectives. You are striving for a better and secure future, while eliminating the common work related fears. People with a shared vision are more productive and have a greater sense of achievement. Inspire them to follow the processes and procedures you will put in place to achieve the vision.
You also need to listen to what they are saying. Doing all the talking does not let them participate