How to Let Go and Trust Your Team
If you want to get the most out of your team, you’ve got to learn to trust your people. Trust isn’t just what you say, but how you demonstrate that you value your team through the actions you take every day. Avoid questioning the everyday minutia of other people’s jobs, and show your team that you trust their expertise. Inspire your team to take more responsibility into their own hands. Proactive habits can empower them to do more, while overly controlling ones will drive your people to avoid you and shirk responsibilities. Trust us, the last thing you want is to be perceived as a control freak! Look for opportunities to celebrate people who are doing well, or those taking on new responsibilities. Remember, trusting your team not only fosters employee morale, growth, and productivity, but also attracts the best and brightest talent throughout the course of your leadership.
Here are three surefire ways to show your people you trust them:
Give employees more responsibility.
Seek out individuals on your team that consistently hit their goals, identifying those who have the potential to take their abilities to the next level. Develop fresh ways to challenge team members and push them toward greater professional growth. You might encourage them to earn a new credential or take on a high-profile project — whatever the goal, make it something that will stretch their comfort zone in a healthy way, and be sure to demonstrate that you genuinely want to invest in their professional development.
Delegate important assignments.
When you think about delegating tasks, don’t just hand off the menial grunt work. That won’t earn you high marks as a leader! While you may need help with such tasks (and it’s fine to ask!), remember that it’s equally important to distribute important projects and meaningful jobs to your people as well. The key is to delegate the important jobs to the right people, understanding an individual’s talent and ability and stretching them no more than you think they can achieve. As with hiring, delegate effectively and with specific goals in mind. Carefully assess the talent within your team, select the right people from that pool, and then assign them the right jobs.
Get team opinions on key matters.
One easy, often overlooked way to earn and keep your people’s trust is to show that you value their opinions and perspectives. So, ask them questions! When it comes to business issues, particularly those in which your team plays a regular role, make sure to ask them what they think, what solutions they might offer, and how they would do things differently or better. Let them know that you’re going to them for answers because you trust them and value their input.
When facing tough times or a business crisis,
how have you shown your people that you truly trusted them?