Based on recent research from the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) into
levels of trust in senior management teams. This research identifies a clear
roadmap for individuals to build trust in themselves and their organisations.

The six factors fundamental to
trust: ability, understanding, fairness, openness, integrity and consistency. How
senior leaders and managers can be proficient in all of these areas and build
trust levels within their organisation as a result. Plus how important
integrity is in building trust.

The survey looked at how leaders
have to be aware of their ‘signal value’ and how this is perceived by employees
as a sign of integrity. The more senior you are, the more the gap between what
you say and what you do, or what you don’t say or do, is amplified. The research
published in September by the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM)
revealed that almost a third of UK employees (31 percent) have low or no trust
in their senior management teams.

Over 5,600 employees were surveyed
for the Index of Leadership Trust, which reveals that, for CEOs, ability alone
is not enough. In the current climate of economic uncertainty and an air of
mistrust, in everyone from bankers to MPs, up and down the country, the survey
revealed that CEOs must work harder at demonstrating their personal integrity,
in addition to their leadership ability, if they are to inspire trust in their
staff.

The Index identifies and measures
the six factors that are fundamental to trust: ability, understanding,
fairness, openness, integrity and consistency. Respondents identified the two
most important trust factors for CEOs as ability and integrity, highlighting
that, as well as being able to do their job, CEOs must have and, crucially, be
seen to have, high levels of personal integrity. This is often instinctive and
may be difficult to teach, but it can be learned.

By contrast, although line managers
are more trusted, the research shows that employees expect a more diverse range
of qualities and characteristics from them. As well as ability, top of the
list, and integrity, line managers are required to demonstrate understanding,
fairness and consistency. Employees trust their managers
when they are proficient in all six trust dimensions, emphasising the
importance of good quality leadership development to ensure managers have a
wide breadth of skills and knowledge required to perform effectively.

28 October 2009