Trustworthy Leaders: Empowering Teams To Care Less And Achieve More

I was driving along listening to the audio book Trust, by Dr. Henry Cloud. When the person reading the book made the comment, "Trustworthy leaders make their teams care less," I almost had to pull over. Hearing that made me question exactly what they were talking about. The more I listened, the more I thought about my own experiences and said, "They're exactly right!" This counterintuitive notion of caring less started to make sense when I considered the ways that trustworthy leaders enable their teams to focus on what truly matters.

Here are 4 ways I believe leaders who lead with a high degree of trust make their teams care less about the little things and more about what really matters.

1. Foster an Environment of Open Communication

Trustworthy leaders foster an environment of open communication. If team members know they can bring any concern, challenge, or new idea to that leader or manager without being criticized, they care Less about those concerns. They know they are going to be heard when they bring them to their leader.

Example:  If an employee has a concern about a project deadline or a process that could be improved, they feel comfortable raising that concern with their trustworthy leader. The leader listens without judgment and works with the employee to address the issue. This open communication allows the employee to care less about the concern and focus more on their work, knowing it will be addressed.

You never know when a moment and a few sincere words can have an impact on a life. - Zig Ziglar

2. Empower Their Team

A second way that trustworthy leaders make their teams care less is that they empower their team. When team members know that their leader has confidence in their abilities and won't scold them because things aren't perfect, they tend to own the work. They begin to care less about getting every step perfect because they know they have the confidence of that leader.

Example:  A trustworthy leader might delegate a project to an employee and provide guidance and resources but ultimately trust the employee to execute the project in their own way. The employee feels empowered to take ownership and care less about minor details, knowing that their leader trusts their judgment and abilities.

3. Distinguish Between Urgent and Important

A third way trustworthy leaders make their teams care less is that they help their teams distinguish between important and urgent. They set a clear vision and help establish goals for their team so that the team members don't have to be so careful about whether this is the right task or that is the right task, and so on. They can care less because they know where their time and energy need to be focused.

Example:  Below are some examples of what might be considered important verses urgent.

4. Provide Consistent Feedback and Recognition

Finally, trustworthy leaders cause their teams to care less because they provide consistent feedback and recognition. When a team member knows that you're going to be there to give them the advice and guidance they need, they can care Less about a fear of failure and have more confidence in the work they are doing.

Example: A leader might have regular one-on-one meetings with team members to provide feedback on their performance and recognize their achievements. This consistent feedback and recognition help employees care Less about making mistakes or failing, as they know their leader will support them and help them learn and grow.

Being a trustworthy leader helps people care less about little things so they can focus more on the big things that truly matter. By fostering open communication, empowering their team, distinguishing between urgent and important, and providing consistent feedback and recognition, employees feel trusted and supported and can focus on what matters most, achieving remarkable results.  That sounds like a win to me!

What steps can you take today to build trust and empower your team to care less about the little things and more about the big picture?