Accountability Earns Trust and Influence
We don’t mean to, but it just happens – you say you are going to do something, and you really mean it when you say it, but then something gets in the way. Eventually you’ll return the phone call or respond to that email. If you say you are going to do something within the hour, do you actually do it within the hour?
It may not seem like much at the time – really, what is one phone call in the big scheme of things?
To you the one phone call may not be a big deal, but to the person expecting to hear back from you – it could make all the difference in the world. And it creates a mindset that maybe you aren’t reliable, can’t be counted on, can’t be trusted.
Does your team trust you to follow through? One Harvard Business Review study found that 58% of employees would trust a stranger more than their boss’ follow-through on a commitment.
How to garner that trust?
- Keep your word. If you say you are going to do something, do it. If you can’t or aren’t sure you can make the commitment, be upfront about it. I’d much rather be told “no” or “not right now” than be promised something you can’t deliver.
- Hope is not a strategy. Neither is try. We all know what it means when you say “I’ll try.” You are earnest when you say it, but with time, try becomes “not going to happen.”
- Don’t overpromise and underdeliver. In fact, consider the opposite. Don’t make commitments you know you can’t keep.
Accountability brings trust. Trust brings authenticity. Authenticity brings influence.
Listen in to this week’s Copper State of Mind podcast to hear more on this important topic.
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