Leaders need people. A leader who stands at the top of the hierarchy, barking orders and issuing commands, is likely not going to stay at the top very long. That’s because leaders who direct have a shorter leadership lifespan than leaders who connect.
Connecting with people is essential for leadership because it allows a leader to establish trust. Taking time to find common ground and connect with people creates an understanding that a leader is reliable. It allows the people to give their trust freely.
To receive that trust, however, a leader must be more than just a figurehead. A leader must have substance. A leader must live a life that’s trustworthy.
The days of a leader being able to say, “Trust me”, are long since passed, unless the leader has made the shift from directing to connecting.
Leaders who establish trust with their people are able to move at increasing speeds by making “Trust me” an invitation, not a warning.