When Trust Goes Out the Window

What happens when your people have lost trust in you or the organization you represent?  You might find yourself facing a hunger strike. 
If you haven’t been following the recent reports of Anna Hazare, media outlets and residents of India are referring to him as the “New Ghandi.”  As a well-known social activist from India, Anna Hazare was arrested by police this month in protest of an anti-corruption bill that was drafted by the government without the input of Mr. Hazare and other social activists.  Police stated that he was arrested due to the ban on public gatherings at the park he was staging his protest.
The same anti-corruption bill in question was originally requested by Mr. Hazare earlier this year.  Mr. Hazare refused to eat until an anti-corruption bill was drafted by the government.  The same techniques of civil disobedience used by Mohandas Ghandi were now being used by Anna Hazare.  The government gave into his demands, but soon went ahead with their own version of the bill that did not appear to be tough enough on corruption.  Mr. Hazare and other activists were barred from giving their own input on the bill’s wording.  This caused Mr. Hazare to begin a new hunger strike.
Mr. Hazare was released from jail the day before yesterday thanks to the waves of protestors supporting his cause.  However, he has once again begun to fast until death until the anti-corruption bill is re-written as the law he and others originally sought. 
Think something as serious as this wouldn’t happen in the business world?  Look at News of the World, with the recent fallout from their phone-hacking scandal.  Rupert Murdoch and son James recently dodged bullets from the grilling they received in the UK Parliament.  However, with each passing day, new information is coming to light that James may have known more about the scandal that he stated.  
If it turns out that James was lying, he will be the next leader to fall in a series of leaders from News Corporation that have either stepped down, or that are facing charges. 
Corruption of power may have been the norm in the past, but the public has faced too many scandals and the water has finally boiled over.  It’s now more important than ever, whether you’re a part of a government body, or a leader in a business, that those that follow you can trust you.  How can you expect to lead individuals when they have little to no faith in your leadership style?
There’s a simple-to-follow model called the TrustWorks! Model that allows both leaders and individuals create an environment of trust, provided the model is followed consistently.  In order to build and maintain trust, individuals follow an A-B-C-D formula:

• A – “Able”: The individual can demonstrate competence.  They have knowledge, problem solving skills, and can show they are able to meet goals set by them and others.
• B – “Believable”: The individual acts with integrity.  They are ethical, admit when they’re wrong, and treat others equitably. 
• C – “Connected”:  The individual cares about others. They enjoy working with people, they’re receptive to feedback, and they constantly praise the contribution of others and celebrate successes.
• D – “Dependable”: The individual is reliable.  They follow through on their commitments, holds individuals accountable (including themselves), and are organized in some fashion.

Based on this model, can you see what skills these leaders were missing?
What about you?  Do you already exhibit some of these skills?  Are there areas you could improve upon?
For further reading on trust, our sister blog Leading with Trust offers plenty of information and tips about becoming more of a trust-worthy individual.     
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