Trustworthiness is a value lived by real leaders

This look at 20 years research into trust by Edelman makes very interesting reading.

Not surprisingly "Government – particularly government in Western-style democracies – has been the big loser of the public’s trust over the past 20 years. Confidence that the system works, that society is fair, that the future is secure has given way to fear. Uncertainty has eroded the expectation that the coming generation will live more prosperous lives than their parents."

Here in Australia I can bear witness to the above. Our bushfire crisis has brought out the best and worst in us. Looting an example of the worst in us. Incredible acts of courage and bravery by firefighters and every day people has shown the best in us.

The worst behaviour has come from the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and many members of the Federal Government. They have demonstrated terrible leadership and that they cannot be trusted.

trustworthiness - "the ability to be relied on as honest or truthful".

Why is this too much to ask of some politicians, religious and business leaders?

I think that part of the reason is that values for many people are just words when they must be agreed behaviours.

Possible Actions

1) Meet with your team mates and create behaviours for each of the following areas of being trustworthy: honesty, openness, integrity, vulnerability and humility.

2) Over the next 90 days help and support each other in being accountable and living the behaviours created.

3) Over time introduce and engage everyone in your organisation to take the steps above.

The above actions are one way to be an activist about which Edelman in their 20 years trust report say the following:

"The 2020s promise to be a decade of activism. There’ll be more popular activism – i.e., community groups, public campaigns, and networks of people fighting for their environment and the planet, for their identities, safety on the streets, justice in the system and for opportunity and integrity at work. 

There’ll be a new wave of financial activism – i.e., company pension funds, college endowments, state-backed savings programs, charitable trusts will be harnessed to put pressure on business, government and the media. And there’ll be much more local activism – i.e., states and cities within countries will take it upon themselves to deliver for their citizens, where the national government is falling short.

This activism need not just be something done to the big four institutions of government, business, media, and NGOs. It can and should be done by them. And while none of the four institutions can afford to wait for the others to act, the more they do so in concert the better.

For government, activism is going to mean addressing the disruptors: technology, globalization, automation and data, information platforms and carbon emissions. It’s self-evident that the governments that can harness the accelerating changes of the 21st century in the interests of their citizens will be rewarded with trust. So far, it has been the governments of Asia, generally technocratic and interventionist that have been willing to do so."

Who will you become?

What will you do next?

Be remarkable.
Ian
Possibility Activist