I recently told a leader of HR folks this, and they acted shocked and appalled—as if this idea was unheard-of.
It’s true, though, and hardly a guarded secret. How can we expect to be trusted if we act like corporate robots, constantly checking with legal before speaking honestly to people?
Thankfully, Heartbeat isn’t like this—but if my leadership ever told me I should put corporate legal jargon ahead of people’s trust, feelings and well-being, that would be the day I’d quit.
Fellow HR leaders, there are 3 things we need to do in order to gain the trust of the people we work for (and yes, we work for them, not the other way around).
1. Be a vulnerable human.
2. Be transparent.
3. Give a shit about the people under your care.
Do those things and watch people start to trust you. Watch people start to show up for you. Watch people give you their best damn work. Watch people have your back as you have theirs.
That’s it. Compassion and genuine connection build trust. It’s not rocket science!
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