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Leadership Lessons

Lesson 1

Leaders need trustworthy followers.

Leaders can rely on their followers, and followers can rely on their leaders, because of Trust. It's a two-way street – having faith in others and deserving theirs in return. Building Trust and keeping it solid is an important job!

Have you ever heard the expression "No man is an island"? It means we're all connected. We need other people to help us along – people we can trust. Not everyone can be trusted to help, obviously, because not everyone shares our goals or integrity.

The ability to trust your helpers is a real privilege for leaders. It means the freedom to focus on other important things. The more dependable the helpers are, the more powerful the whole team is, and the more ambitious its goals can become. If everyone can be counted on to "do his or her part" (showing integrity), then the leader can focus on meeting other challenges.

What would happen if your parents or guardians couldn't be trusted to provide the basic necessities for you? You would have to focus on getting them, meaning less time to do the things you like doing. See where this is going? Leaders need helpers or followers we can trust.

Another big plus for leaders trusting others is simply the strength in numbers gained by unifying people under a common banner. The bigger your team and the greater your resources, the higher you can reach and farther you can go! While your team might start small, the powerful combination of your creativity, vision and perseverance will often inspire others to join or invest in your cause. The WTTU, ATA and STF are proof positive this can happen!

So what happens when a leader can not trust one or more of his followers? It depends. The team might be hobbled, working at less than top speed or quality. Or the whole mission could be ruined. A leader sometimes has to make tough decisions about the people he or she chooses to work with, like having to replace a weak link in the chain.

So how does a leader find people he or she can trust? Good leadership attracts quality talent like a magnet. It's also possible – and in most cases necessary – to build trusting relationships over time, by modeling the behavior you expect from others, by rewarding their contributions, and by asking them to invest in your success.

Three things KIDS can do to Build Trust In Others

1. Think of the most reliable person in your life, who you trust more than anyone else. The next time you're together, say thanks for being so dependable. Such a compliment will make him/her even more loyal to you. (Alternately, send them a text message or email right now!)
2. The next time you ask someone for a favor, set clear expectations. Avoid sending vague messages about your need. Give him or her the time, the type, all the specifics. By being clear about what you want or need, you're more likely to have your trust rewarded and not disappointed.
3. Invite participation on a project and share credit for success. People generally like to be acknowledged and appreciated. It gives them a stake in the outcome and motivates them to do their best.

Quiz

Fill in the blank with the correct answer.

1. Leaders and followers can depend on each other because of .
2. Trustworthy followers give leaders the to on other important things.
3. The combination of creativity, vision and will often inspire others to join your cause.
4. A leader can build trusting relationships over time by good behavior, their contributions, and them to invest in your success.

Answers

1. Trust
2. Freedom, focus
3. Perseverance
4. Modeling, rewarding, asking

Next Lesson...

Leaders need trustworthy followers, and conversely, followers need a trustworthy leader. More on that in Trust, Part 2.