Leadership and culture as growth pillars

It takes years to gain someone’s trust, but mere seconds to destroy it. This applies in business, our personal life and in politics. People need someone they can put their trust in, someone who is reliable and treats his followers with honesty, fairness and good judgment.

Specifically, in business, when people are looking for their next professional challenge, most of the time they will decide based on two major factors; The leaders and the culture of the company. If the company has a culture in which people feel safe, comfortable and has leaders that care more for them rather than the number, more likely this company will attract, and most importantly, retain, the talent they need to thrive.

Why? Because it’s in our very nature. If people feel safe and noticed for who they are and not only their results, people will perform better, achieving results in a more efficient and effective way. It’s just a matter of biology not complex management theories.

It’s important for leaders to never lose the trust of their colleagues or subordinates, and one of the most common way for losing trust is to take shortcuts instead of following the proper procedures. Leaders are supposed to be the ones who enforce the rules and hold others accountable for following them; therefore, if he suddenly decides to take shortcuts, he can end up losing the trust of the entire organization by giving the impression that he above the rules.

So the key for any organization that wants to thrive is; No one is above the law, especially their leaders, attract leaders who care for the people they lead, not only in their results, and to have a culture in which people feel safe, comfortable and valued.