I received a text a few weeks ago asking if I had time to chat at 3pm that day. Amazingly I did, and confirmed, though I had no idea if the topic was personal or professional since we have both relationships.
I was excited by my friend Kristen’s enthusiastic invitation to be an anniversary speaker at the 10th anniversary of the SIM Women Leadership Summit. Since I have spoken for the Society of Information Management (SIM) and SIM Women many times over the years, the conversation moved to topics.
I shared my focus on Connected Leadership and one of the foundational elements being trust. We then got into how in today’s remote workplace, building trust within your team can be more challenging yet more crucial than ever.
I didn’t realize just how challenging it was until I started researching the statics around it. What was fascinating is that trust is harder for both the employer and employee.
49% of managers of hybrid workers “struggle to trust their employees to do their best work.” While at the same time only 49% of employees say that they trust their employer.
When less than half the workforce is trusting, what do you do? Keep in mind that 95% of executives believe that organizations have a responsibility to build trust because it directly impacts the bottom line.
Okay, they get it, trust matters. Trust is a cornerstone of effective leadership and a connected team. But how do you foster trust when face-to-face interactions are limited?
Consider these strategies to enhance trust in your remote team:
- Transparent Communication and Decisions: Regular and open communication is vital since a lack of transparency breeds suspicion and undermines trust. Keep your people in the loop.
- Involve and Explain Decisions: When executives fail to involve workers in important decision-making processes, it can lead to a breach in trust. Seek to co-create policies and procedures with those that are directly impacted by them. That will not only build trust but commitment to making those new protocols succeed.
- Set Clear Expectations: Clearly define roles, responsibilities, and deadlines to avoid misunderstandings and build reliability. When everyone knows and follows through on expectations, trust is a natural result.
- Stay Connected: Use collaborative tools to foster teamwork and ensure everyone can contribute and feel valued. Use video calls to maintain a personal connection and ensure everyone feels heard. Engineer in time for chitchat and teambuilding. Use that time to recognize and appreciate the contributions of those on the team.
Building and maintaining trust in a remote setting is a continuous process and requires intention. Want to hear more about being a trusted and connected leader? You can at the 10th anniversary of the SIM Women Leadership Summit. Register HERE. Check out the more section for information about the event.
More with Michelle
About the SIM Women Leadership Summit
From the head of SIM Women herself, my friend Kristen Lamoreaux, here is more about the opportunity…
Whether you are focused on your own personal career or your team’s journey, the SIM Women Leadership Summit offers enlightening perspectives and guiding principles that will illuminate opportunities for growth. We have always helped organizations augment their leadership ranks and we’re especially proud of this year’s content as we are at a pivotal moment. The choices we make today will impact exponentially the access and opportunities for the next generation of technology leaders.
We need to choose who we are going to be today – and tomorrow – and that is how we came to this year’s theme ❝ I Am ❞ Success will take engaging all hands and voices to create a future that is inclusive, relevant to all, and filled with opportunity. On May 16th the Leadership Summit will offer networking, leadership, and learning across two tracks of programming: Exemplify & Empower. Exemplify is for those in the C-Suite and Empower is for those making their way up the career ladder. Whether your next career move is to become a Board member or a Team Leader, the SIM Women Leadership Summit affords you the opportunity to learn and grow, as well as connect with amazing thought leaders from across the country!