The Subversive-ness of Trust

Image source: Lauren Manning, Creative Commons

Subversion: An attempt to transform the established social order and its structures of power, authority, and hierarchy.

Need for Trust

Every team I work with talks about the need for trust. Every leader I work with thinks about, understands and works at building trust. The foundation of every great corporate culture is founded on trust. The title of my book on a great leadership style is titled Trust Me. Not much good happens in teams, leadership, or cultures without trust. So why is it so difficult to build trust?

Trust is Subversive

Because trust is subversive! It wants to overthrow power, authority, and hierarchy. Our heart and mind want to say “No, I’ve spent years climbing that hierarchy by being right, knowing the truth, understanding the market, and getting things done just to reach this position of power and authority.” But trust wants to overthrow that. Trust wants you to admit:

• I may not be right
• My version of the truth may be flawed
• That person may have a better idea
• They may see a broader scope than me
• We may need to give up many of our beliefs in order to make this work
• Someone else may be a better lead for this project

Trust is subversive!

• It breaks down barriers;
• it levels the playing field;
• it makes us open to naïve, inexperienced ideas;
• it builds total respect for other people and forces us to be completely open to their ideas, experiences, and belief systems.

Trust is subversive! And it’s hard!

But it the Only Thing!

But it’s the only thing that really works if you want to build a great team or company in a fast-changing, innovative world. It’s the only think that will work in the future.

Try it. But plan on working hard if you want to get good at it.