The Communication Habits of Trusted Leaders

Research & Sources / Communication & Influence

Picture a long wooden bridge over a river. It was built one plank at a time. People walk across without thinking, because every plank has held so far. Then one plank cracks. Suddenly everyone slows down, looks at their feet and tests each step. Trust in a leader works the same way: built plank by plank, damaged quickly, and noticed by everyone.

Why trust matters so much

Paul Zak studied trust in companies and found that people working in high-trust organisations reported less stress, more energy, higher engagement and less burnout than people in low-trust organisations.¹ Trust is not a soft extra. It changes how much energy people bring to work.

Gallup’s research shows how central the leader is: managers account for a very large share of the differences in engagement between teams.² Much of that comes down to how they communicate.

Habit 1: Say what you will do, then do it

The simplest plank. If you say you will send the document on Thursday, send it on Thursday. If you can’t, say so before Thursday. Small promises kept are the strongest trust builders there are.

Habit 2: Share information early

People trust leaders who tell them what is going on, including bad news. When leaders hold back information, teams fill the gap with rumours. A short, regular update, even “nothing new this week”, keeps the bridge solid.

Habit 3: Admit what you don’t know

Leaders sometimes think they must have every answer. People see through that quickly. “I don’t know yet, but I’ll find out by Friday” builds more trust than a confident guess that turns out wrong.

Habit 4: Be the same in every room

Trusted leaders say the same thing to the board, the team and the client. If people hear different versions of the story depending on who is listening, they start to wonder which version is true.

Habit 5: Listen and show it

People who feel genuinely listened to become more open and less defensive.³ Summarising what someone said before responding is a simple way to show that you heard them.

Habit 6: Make it safe to disagree

Amy Edmondson’s research shows that teams perform and learn better when people feel safe to speak up, ask questions and admit mistakes.⁴ Leaders create that safety mostly through how they react. Thank people for bad news. Never punish an honest question.

Repairing a broken plank

Every leader breaks a plank sometimes. The repair is simple but not easy: name it, apologise without excuses, and say what you will do differently. Done well, a repaired plank can make the bridge stronger, because people see that problems are dealt with openly.

What this means for you this week

• Write down every promise you make this week and check them on Friday.
• Send a short update to your team, including one piece of bad news if there is one.
• Say “I don’t know yet” at least once when it is true.
• Thank the next person who disagrees with you openly.

Every plank counts. People notice each one.

Sources

1. Zak, P. J. (2017). The Neuroscience of Trust. Harvard Business Review. hbr.orgPeople at high-trust companies reported less stress, more energy, more engagement and less burnout.
2. Harter, J. & Adkins, A. (2015). Employees Want a Lot More From Their Managers. Gallup. gallup.comManagers account for at least 70 percent of the variance in engagement; regular manager meetings make engagement almost three times as likely.
3. Itzchakov, G. & Kluger, A. N. (2018). The Power of Listening in Helping People Change. Harvard Business Review. hbr.orgPeople who feel truly listened to become less defensive and more open to reconsidering their views.
4. Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350-383. doi.orgPsychological safety supports learning behaviour and performance in teams.