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Building Bonds That Last..
Anjali Wadhera, Communications Manager, The Business Workshop

Organisations, like people, have distinct identities and characters which are built over time by the values and the beliefs of the people who nurture it. As a consequence, it is the organisation's ethos - the fundamental spirit of it's culture - which furthers (or for that matter - hinders) its growth. Thus, it is the bonds that are fostered between people within the organisation, which define its work culture.

With people from different backgrounds working together in conditions that are often demanding and stressful, this very work culture will define the way we react to certain situations. For example, if an organisation believes that its' people are its' core competence, then this definitely has positive implications on their morale, directly impacting their performance. On the other hand, if the organisation is unempathetic, only focusing on its own business goals to the point of being selfish, the people too are likely to adopt a 'devil-may-care-attitude', and work towards deriving personal goals.

In that sense culture becomes an inherent web that weaves diverse elements into a unified vision. But the very fabric of the cultural weave gets torn when there is mistrust and collusion, leading to an undefined sense of fear and insecurity amongst those who people the organisation...

As a Performance Consultant, while conducting performance audits, one finds that one of the main factors affecting the smooth functioning of business processes is the basic lack of trust that employees have amongst themselves and more obviously, towards their superiors. Inevitably, fingers get pointed in all directions and the responsibility for building trust is placed on the management.

People's motivation to work comes from various reasons which is a combination of personal, financial and emotional factors. When joining an organisation, there is a certain part of us which compels us to believe that we can intricately tie our personal and professional goals to those of the organisation. But over a period of time, we lose sight of those common goals - the very reasons why we wanted to be a part of the organisation in the first place. Competition, work pressure, deadlines, and the accompanying stresses make us lose our sense of balance, thus making us defensive. Our outlook towards people, policies and procedures becomes critical and suspicious, and negativity takes over a positive approach.

Definitely a vicious circle! Since, the management which was our biggest ally is now the greatest enemy. In turn, the so called senior strata of the organisation has also lost sight that they themselves are employees of the organisation and working with others towards a common goal. Perhaps, maintaining this two way sight at the whole work environment is the key to building organisational trust.

But the question that arises here is, - what is this nebulous issue called organisational trust? Is it a one way street or a two way process? Should it be top down or does it build it's way bottom's up?

Trust is one of the foundation elements upon which the organisation is built and continues to develop. It implies a basic belief in people and their integrity. It also signifies that the organisation is built to meet individual and organisational needs, which is a common goal. But creating an organisational culture that is open and trusting is no easy task. It takes time, and understanding, and a firm commitment to build bonds that empowers people to be responsible and accountable to themselves - as individuals and as professionals.

A coach, a facilitator, a mentor and a trainer may therefore be required, to forge this link - that very fine thread - which binds these people with each other and with the organisation. It is therefore safe to conclude that building trust is a two way process occurring from all levels of the organisation simultaneously.

Here is a quick checklist/guidelines* that can be looked into to encourage an organisational culture which breeds a deep rooted sense of loyalty and is bereft of mistrust.

• Clearly communicate goals. Let employees know what their responsibilities are and what is expected of them. Encourage them to consult if in doubt. Grant them realistic dead lines to achieve their targets.
• Create an environment open to ideas. Encourage people to communicate and share information.
• Try to provide them with opportunities to grow and develop as professionals and as individuals.
• Recognise and reward good performance. Appreciate people for their achievements - no matter how small.
• Learn to draw a difference between personal & professional opinion. Never criticise unsatisfactory work in public. It could lead to a sense of contempt and humiliation. Investigate reasons for the poor performance and redirect separately. If the trend continues, take appropriate action and dismiss employee.
• Solicit opinions and involve employees in decisions, especially those which directly concern them. This helps them to develop a sense of belonging to the organisation.
• Show respect not only towards your seniors but also towards your peers and colleagues. In turn, encourage people to show you the same respect.
• Share personal and your organisations' successes with your people and make them feel a part of the winning team!

To earn trust one has to learn to trust also. Building bonds and hence trust, is a long winding road - but realisation of the importance of this very basic value, is an important milestone reached....

* Reference GHR Training Solutions http://www.ghr-training.com

Graphic done by Sophiya