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Hello Reader,

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Trust is a tenuous thing. Once broken it takes a long time to rebuild trust. Trust is also a very tenacious feeling. When given freely, it takes a lot to shake someone's trust. As human beings we are predisposed to trust other people. When faced with a new situation most people would like to start on a positive note - by giving the benefit of doubt. Unless you have had some trauma, or unpleasant experiences in the past, our default setting is to believe in each another.

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Which is why it is difficult to navigate the distrust and dysfunction that can exist in our workplaces. Raise your hand if at some point you have felt lied to, or betrayed in your workplace. Raise your hand if you feel compelled to document every conversation with your co-workers to make sure that you can defend your position in the future. Raise your hand if you have felt micromanaged by your boss. How did that make you feel? How did it affect your relationships at work? What was the impact on your productivity and creativity?

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According to Gallup, only 33% of employees strongly agree that "My company would never lie to our customers or conceal information that is relevant to them". As many as 74% of employees worldwide believe that corruption is widespread among businesses in their country. It is difficult to build an org culture around transparency and trust. Especially in the fractious times that we live in. It certainly doesn't help to see news headlines about all the various ways in which employees are losing their jobs and their rights.

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And yet, trust requires a leap of faith. According to philosopher Onora O'Neill, "If you make yourself vulnerable to the other party, then that is very good evidence that you are trustworthy and you have confidence in what you are saying". Trusting someone, and being trustworthy requires courage to make yourself vulnerable. COURAGE & VULNERABILITY - familiar themes that we have been exploring in the past couple of months. As we come back full circle, I would like to invite you to reflect on those two values.

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Let us know on our social media channels by clicking on the links below.

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Here's our monthly resource list on TRUST:

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​What we don't understand about trust - Source: TEDx

Quick Take: What is the relationship between TRUST and VULNERABILITY? In this TED talk, philosopher Onora O'Neill has a unique take on trust. Trust is on the decline, and we need to rebuild it. That's a commonly heard suggestion for making a better world ... but, Onora O'Neill says, we don't really understand what we're suggesting. She flips the question, showing us that our three most common ideas about trust are actually misdirected.

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​The Decision to Trust - Source: Harvard Business Review

Quick Take: "Trust is a measure of the quality of a relationship—between two people, between groups of people, or between a person and an organization. In totally predictable situations the question of trust doesn’t arise: When you know exactly what to expect, there’s no need to make a judgment call. The turbulence of outsourcing, mergers, downsizing, and changing business models creates a breeding ground for distrust. Leading in such an environment requires acting in ways that provide clear reasons to decide to trust. "

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​Why Trust Matters at Work - Source: SHRM

Quick Take: "...if employees don’t trust their leaders, they won’t operate efficiently. Staff members will be reluctant to make decisions, seeking approval for every little thing. They won’t be willing to go the extra mile if they’re unsure whether others will back them up. They’ll fear sharing bad news, so problems will grow instead of being promptly addressed. They’ll be less likely to offer ideas for new products or processes if they believe leaders won’t support them or will take credit for their ideas. Unfortunately, trust frequently suffers when corporate executives get caught up in playing the short-term game, focused solely on revenues or pleasing the CEO rather than long-term values and commitments"

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​Why A Focus On Employee Trust Is Essential - Source: Forbes

Quick Take: Trust in the workplace had a positive impact on everything. In this article John Hall lists four reasons why a focus on trust in—and between—your employees is essential to your company’s success. According to Hall, "If you want to create a workplace where employees breathe easy and innovation isn’t stifled, you need to make trust a priority."

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A quick reminder, we are switching to a monthly newsletter. You can expect to hear from us every second Tuesday of the month. If there is a topic that you would like to see featured, please do let us know. Please share this newsletter with people you know who might find value in it. They can also subscribe to the EQrated by clicking the button below.

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As some of you may know, I am back in Dubai. As I take the next few weeks to reconnect with a familiar rhythm, I want to reassure you that I am right here with you...just from a different part of the world. Looking forward to continuing our conversations!

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Ciao,

Stef