In Part 1 of our “Trust in the Workplace” series, I identified one significant common factor that underlies many of the issues we face today, the absence of trust. The absence or erosion of trust has been the root cause in 69% of nearly 100 projects I have been involved with over the last two years. But how do you know if you have a trust issue within your team.
The Trust Test
I would offer that taking following diagnostic test should be your first step. If your aviation needs are being satisfied by a third party (management company, fractional, charter card, etc.) replace “Aviation Leader” with “Aviation Provider.”
Each question answered YES is worth 1 point.
- If I am an aviation leader, can I list the three most critical actions the organization I serve needs to execute to be successful over the next 6 to 12 months?
- If I am an executive to whom the aviation function reports, have I sat down with my aviation leader to share the “state of the business” as well as my own strategic goals outside of the aviation function?
- If I am an Aviation Leader, can I list the “bottom line” values for each of the business leaders I serve?
- If I am an executive to whom the Aviation function reports, can my aviation leader articulate the competing values for each of the business leaders?
- Does a system exist that reviews the Aviation team’s processes and risks by an independent third party (third party could be an internal audit team or an external expert)? Give yourself a bonus point if the external review was prompted by the Aviation Leader.
- Are there clear metrics for the aviation team that are tied to strategic initiatives?
- Have these metrics been reviewed and updated in the last 6 months?
- Is the Aviation team’s connection to the larger corporate entity greater than just the Aviation Leader?
- Are Aviation hiring processes intentionally screened for corporate values?
- Does the Aviation Leader or executive to whom Aviation reports feel like they are competing?
- Do you feel like your Aviation Leader/executive to whom you report has your back (If yes, 2 points)?
If you scored 6 or more, I suspect that trust within your company is relatively high. Consider what actions would continue to strengthen the relationship. If you scored 3 to 5, revisit each question you missed and implement an action to address the concern. If you scored less than 3, the relationship may require more energy than you want to give. It would be beneficial to address the trust issue directly. If you scored 12 or 13, would you be a guest writer for our next newsletter?
Transformation starts within our own sphere of influence. Consider the societal impact if our objective were to understand rather than change one another. Time invested with your team to discuss values, goals, and increased transparency may reap a significant return, both inside and outside of the workplace.