A way to demonstrate good leadership is to be prepared for a crisis. As recent events have shown, when a leader fails to demonstrate that he or she is on top of the issues, trust in the leadership evaporates almost overnight.
While we can put together a list of recent high-profile failures – we are struggling to remember an occasion of excellent leadership in a crisis. Perhaps this is because when leadership demonstrates that it is “in control” we no longer remember it as a crisis?
An employee outlook survey conducted last year by the CIPD found that 2 out of 3 employees don’t trust their senior managers. This would probably be true of the general population’s trust of political leadership. The current turbulent economic times continues to test our trust in our leadership.
A recent lecture at the RSA by Lord John Browne of Madingley explored the very subject of Trust and Leadership. Building on the work of philosopher and economist Onara O’Neil, Lord Browne explained that there can only be trust when the organisation/the leader / the political body has demonstrated Trustworthiness. And trustworthiness is built on shared and transparent values. The chain can only be as strong as its weakest link.
Being trustworthy is about doing things consistently well. To build trust is about bringing the barriers down, accepting that people can talk to you, and that you’ll do something about their concerns. Onara O’Neil also points out that deception is the enemy of trust.
Shall we see if values, trustworthiness and trust are clarified as the heart of the political campaigning leading up to the General Election?