Many of us are familiar with the Scout Law which begins with the words “A scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous….” (Sounds like the pretty good co-worker description, right?)
When I was a scout leader, I would often ask my charges, “What does it mean to be trustworthy?”; and the answers were typically focused on honesty. The understanding being that someone who is trustworthy is honest.
That is true. But only part of the meaning. Trustworthy requires two very important and distinct things. Yes, honesty is one of them. The other is competence.
In my coaching work, one of the most frequent concerns that clients have is with their personal credibility. A sense of trusting oneself. A sense of having a personal mission statement. As leaders, it is fundamentally valuable to have a sense of one’s own direction before attempting to lead others.
At the highest level in an organization, strategic leadership is the vision which sets the goals and creates the map that the organization will follow to achieve those goals.
Most of us are most familiar with motivational leadership. That is, motivating, managing and leading others. One of my favorite books on the subject is “Leadership is an Art” by Max DePree. He points out that a leader’s job is to understand the diversity of people’s gifts, talents, ideas and skills, and that the art of leadership involves polishing, liberating and enabling those gifts!
At the foundation of the idea of leadership is the capability to lead oneself. We think of this as Intrapersonal leadership, and it’s at the foundation of leadership because personal credibility, a sense of personal direction and purpose are prerequisites to all types of leadership. One can most effectively lead others if one knows where they themselves are going. One is able to trust others when one trusts themselves.
I reckon there has never been a time in business when it is so important to be able to trust others within our businesses. Honesty (yes), but also competency! Office-place trust begins with creating leaders at every level. Intrapersonal leaders.
We’ll talk more about this. Leadership is, after all, a process, not an event.
Until next time, Be Well!!
This Article was written by co-Founder of Perspective-Power, Brian Reinbold: Originally written for Chicago SHRM (Society of Human Resource Management) January 2017 Column: “Organizational Development Perspectives. Fresh ideas on Leadership, Culture and Communication”
Anastasia Devere Anastasia Devere is a writer, podcaster, singer/songwriter and activist. Her favorite work always includes collaboration and she has been fortunate enough to work with Gladys Knight as a […]
