Building Trust to Unlock Relational Return

In detailing the role of trust in candid conversations, I shared a quote from an article called “Good Leadership? It all starts with trust” saying, “Trust is one of the most vital forms of capital a leader has today.” Trust is crucial for our candid conversations, but it’s even more important in the strategic investments we make into relationships. As intentional as we were in the initial invitations to be part of our inaugural Executive Leadership Elite Think Tank group, and even with the strong relationships Cindy and I had with each of the participants, it took time for the trust we had earned with each of them to build with one another.

From the very beginning, each session with that group of executives and business owners has been focused on providing them with an atmosphere that supports a stronger leadership culture within their respective organizations. Cindy and I have always delivered material tailored to their specific responsibilities but we’ve worked just as hard to ensure there’s an environment for them to learn from one another. Initially, though, we saw more apprehension than transparency - especially in the segment where we split into small groups to discuss specific practices they had each implemented in their businesses. Meeting in person just once each quarter, it wasn’t until the third session that we saw the collective guard drop. Most of them were developing trust for one another. 

Even then, though, it wasn’t as simple as just having more time together. One of the stipulations we had in place with the group from day one was that there would only be one organization from any industry, with a goal of removing the concern of giving up trade secrets. That’s proven to be very important to each member and we’ve been very protective of that ever since. Cindy and I have also been intentional about connecting members outside of the group sessions. In many cases, that’s been just so they can get to know each other personally, but that’s also led to some powerful business alliances over time. As trust grew across the board, we saw a gradual increase in openness between members in the group sessions. While individual membership is only for a calendar year and we’ve always had direct conversations with each member about whether renewal provides them with their desired return on investment, nearly everyone has chosen to engage for multiple years - and several have been part of this exclusive group since it launched. Today, incoming members are welcomed by every member right away; they benefit from the collective trust that’s been established within the group over the years. If any participant would choose to violate this, I’m certain the responsiveness they receive from others would quickly reflect that - but we established clear expectations for that from the beginning, and how we’d address it if it ever happens, so that hasn’t been an issue that’s required much attention.

Whether it’s in establishing new relationships with business associates in other industries, the team members we interact with daily, or with a potential mentor, is key to unlocking the relational return on investment. If we want to double our leadership ROI, trust is exactly where we need to start. With that in place, the candid conversations we’re able to have can deliver even more value - so next time we’ll look at how this took shape throughout our ELETT group.