Picture it: you have just concluded your interview and shaken hands with the ideal candidate who has all of the qualities and qualifications you are looking for in order to fill your open role and you quickly rush back to office to get in contact with your Recruiter to let them know you want to hire them ASAP! You are excited about the possibility of taking your department to the next level and want this candidate to be part of the team. At this point in the process, nothing else is standing in your way right?

All joking aside, there are lots of reasons why our clients call us to help them conduct an employee survey: they want to know why turnover is so high; they want to know the satisfaction levels of employees with regards to their jobs and benefits offered; they want to know what training they should be offering; and many call us because they are looking to improve what they believe is already a great culture with high employee engagement. Regardless of the reason, they all have one thing in common: they chose to use a third party to conduct the survey.

Is a Lack of Trust Driving Away Your Success? As a leader, your priorities are vast. However, nothing takes a higher priority than building trust in your team and organization. Without trust, you get high turnover, reduced performance and revenue, and a lot of stress. With trust and a good plan, your firm can flourish. Trusted Colleagues In working with organizations, my horses repeatedly show that people move toward trust and away from fear. Horses are masters at reading energy and can find the truth of an organization no matter what the corporate mission statement says. To horses, a lack of trust indicates a source of fear and triggers a flight, fight or freeze response. The same is true for individuals working in an organization lacking trust. Your employees may not be “running away” in an obvious manner, but research has shown that a brain under stress is unable to recall and process information as quickly as it can in a more relaxed state. Our flight/flight/freeze response is instinctive and deep. Once triggered, it can wreak havoc if left unaddressed. Several of my high performer clients left key positions because of a lack of trust at their former organizations. One was in charge of a $100 million mission critical project, another led international efforts for a prestigious law firm, and another directed legacy projects for a government contractor. In all cases, the firms were surprised by these resignations and the effects of the departures were devastating. As a leader, you must address the source of fear and replace it with trust. Especially in times of uncertainty and change. Break down defenses through authentic dialogue and develop a clear plan to move forward. Trust yourself and trust your people to work the plan. You don’t have to have all the answers, but you do need to communicate and take charge. Here are five tips to boost trust in your organization: Share the broader vision – Clarify where the firm is headed and explain how each team contributes to the overall mission and vision. Roll this out to the individual level so each knows the importance of his or her specific role. Empower – Know the strengths of your team and use them. If you don’t know the strengths, use an assessment tool like Strengthfinders. Communicate regularly to build engagement. Connect in person or through webcasts if staff is nonlocal. Be frank and honest about the status and progress of efforts. People know the difference between a canned response from corporate and heartfelt communication. A canned response cannot be trusted. Always do what you say you’re going to do or explain why you pursued something different. Listen – Encourage feedback and ideas and listen carefully. Acknowledge and track feedback even if it results in no action. People like to be heard. Provide mechanisms to brainstorm new ideas in fun and creative ways. Tom and David Kelley’s Creative Confidence provides fantastic approaches. Recognize and appreciate your colleagues and staff. One of the biggest mistakes a leader can make is to forget to express appreciation. Bonus generously if possible, and be sure to always give credit to teams and individuals for superior efforts and to those working hard in the trenches. A simple “thank-you” from a leader goes a long way. Look for and acknowledge the “good” and you will get more “good.” Our worlds are shaped by our focus. Building trust is a process and takes time. There is no fast track. Enlist the help of your most trusted colleagues and consider support from a coach or consultant to help you maintain objectivity, listen and see the truth. The rewards are priceless – the trust of others and a thriving organization. Founder of Jaeger2, Strategies for Success, Shari J. Goodwin is a strategist, executive coach, author, speaker, and life-long horsewoman and dog-lover. She helps leaders navigate change with confidence, build trust and achieve the impact and results they desire. She can be reached at www.jaeger2.com.

Beware of the W-2 Phishing Scam

Lately, it seems I cannot escape the fact that 2016 is a presidential election year—even on sites like LinkedIn. I view LinkedIn as a business site for professional conversations and to share and read information which will improve one’s career. When I am in a professional setting or “polite company,” I believe that discussion about things like religious beliefs, political beliefs, money and sex are topics to be avoided. I apply this philosophy to professional sites like LinkedIn. If I would not say it to a colleague, I would not post it on LinkedIn. Yet lately, I continue to be surprised by the pictures of politicians accompanied by opinions and comments on LinkedIn. I don’t log into LinkedIn to view others’ political views (or religious views for that matter).

You have an exciting work environment...people are running around like crazy, lots of energy and enthusiasm all over the place, and everyone is having a great time...except for one employee who doesn’t “get into that”. This employee is sitting at the desk, quietly doing his/her work. And you notice when you are in meetings, this employee rarely speaks up. Do you see them as a hindrance to your organization? Hopefully not!