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Building Trust in Organizations Dear friends and colleagues, We would love to hear your ideas about the value and risks inherent in building trust in organizations. Most of us instinctively know that building trust amongst a top management team and throughout an organization is important. So how does one build trust? We have some ideas about that including reinforcing desired behaviors of transparency, authenticity and integrity and a willingness to show one’s vulnerability. Sounds scary! Business people are not trained to act this way. And, early on in our careers most of us don’t. Perhaps the fears we have about this are the fears of showing weakness and being taken advantage of. Well think about the last time one of your peers shared something with you that came from her or his heart. Whether, it was about a personal challenge, professional risk or a piece of “carefrontationally delivered” feedback; is it possible you then trusted the person more than if you simply received an analytic left-brained message on the same topic? Our thesis is that as business people move into positions of leadership, gaining commitment to one’s vision and goals is better served by letting people know we are human, sharing our feelings and caring about the feelings others. We plan to write more on this; perhaps in book form. Your input would be very much valued. Please share your personal stories about building trust with us at mailto:[email protected] Thank you Jack Gelman Managing Director – Gelman & Associates, LLC Group Chair – Vistage International

Building Trust In Organizations

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Building Trust in Organizations

Dear friends and colleagues,

We would love to hear your ideas about the value and risks inherent in building trust in organizations.

Most of us instinctively know that building trust amongst a top management team and throughout an organization is important.

So how does one build trust? We have some ideas about that including reinforcing desired behaviors of transparency, authenticity and integrity and a willingness to show one’s vulnerability. Sounds scary! Business people are not trained to act this way. And, early on in our careers most of us don’t. Perhaps the fears we have about this are the fears of showing weakness and being taken advantage of.

Well think about the last time one of your peers shared something with you that came from her or his heart. Whether, it was about a personal challenge, professional risk or a piece of “carefrontationally delivered” feedback; is it possible you then trusted the person more than if you simply received an analytic left-brained message on the same topic?

Our thesis is that as business people move into positions of leadership, gaining commitment to one’s vision and goals is better served by letting people know we are human, sharing our feelings and caring about the feelings others.

We plan to write more on this; perhaps in book form. Your input would be very much valued. Please share your personal stories about building trust with us at mailto:[email protected]

Thank youJack Gelman Managing Director – Gelman & Associates, LLCGroup Chair – Vistage International