Trust: the secret weapon of effective business leaders
From PLN
Trust: the secret weapon of effective business leaders
by Leslie Dillon, from Leader's Digest June 2007
A recent book by Kathy Bloomgarden, Co-CEO of Ruder Finn, Inc., a top global public relations agency, Trust, The Secret Weapon of Effective Business Leaders (St Martin’s Press, 2007), stresses the importance of trust in an organization’s corporate strategy.
From the book:
- In today’s environment, leaders who add the most value to their companies tend to make decisions based not on short-term financial goals, but on strongly-held values. They develop a reservoir of trust among their key stakeholders and use it to speak frankly as challenges arise. These leaders are inspired by an adherence to principles that form, for each of them, a platform of rock-solid values they will not violate.
One review describes the book as “an essential read” for business leaders. Well-written and relevant, it “defines what it means to be an effective leader in today’s rough and tumble business environment.”
In a Harvard Business Review IdeaCast interview, “Bloomgarden explains that for modern-day business leaders to be successful, they must create for themselves a reputation of trustworthiness, both for their own job security and for the future success of their organizations.” A recent Gallup Poll reveals that only 20% of the American public views CEOs as trustworthy, and in 2006 almost 1500 CEOs were forced out of their positions. Performance alone isn’t enough any more. Trusted leaders can draw on established trust to navigate through tough spots, and their organizations attract top employees. To establish a reputation for trust, leaders must:
- Stick with long-term goals.
- Be committed to ongoing communication.
- Proactively reach out.
- Be visible and accessible.
- Inspire--share your long-term vision.
