Build Stronger Leadership Through Trust: The Seven Dimensions of Trust

In today’s dynamic workplace, trust has become the foundation of high performing teams, strong leadership and engaged employees. Trust makes people feel valued, heard and empowered to do their best work. But that means that when trust is lacking, productivity dips and morale suffers, leading to problems for any organisation.

In 2018, the ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management) conducted an in depth study that explored this critical aspect of leadership. Their research identified seven dimensions of trust that shape how employees perceive their leaders.

If you are looking to enhance leadership effectiveness in your organisation, then these insights can help you pinpoint where trust is thriving, and where it may need some work.

The Seven Dimensions of Trust in Leadership

Here is a closer look at the seven dimensions that determine how much trust employees place in their leaders:

1. Ability

Employees need confidence that their leaders can competently perform their roles. A leader’s technical skills, knowledge and experience are at the core of building this trust.

2. Understanding

Leaders who understand their team’s roles, challenges and responsibilities earn deeper trust. When managers take the time to truly comprehend and appreciate their employees’ day to day work, it demonstrates empathy and awareness.

3. Fairness

Employees trust leaders who consistently act with integrity and show genuine concern for the wellbeing of their teams, making the perception of fairness a vital building block of trust.

4. Accessibility

Being available and approachable matters. Leaders who are visible, responsive and open to conversation create an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing ideas and concerns.

5. Openness

Leaders who encourage input and diverse perspectives build a culture of openness. Trust grows far more naturally when employees feel their voices are heard.

6. Integrity

Synergy between words and actions is crucial. Leaders who demonstrate honesty, transparency and ethical behaviour build long term trust.

7. Consistency

When leaders behave in a predictable and steady manner, employees feel secure in their expectations, reducing uncertainty and boosting confidence.

Key Findings from the ILM Report

The ILM’s research also provided valuable insights into who employees trust the most (and least) in the workplace. Here are some of the key findings:

• Line managers are more trusted than CEOs. Employees tend to have more direct contact with line managers, making it easier to establish trust.

• CEOs struggle most with understanding employee roles. This highlights a gap that can lead to feelings of disconnection, especially in larger organisations.

• Female leaders are more trusted than male leaders. This trend holds true at both the line manager and CEO levels.

• Trust in CEOs is higher in smaller organisations. Smaller companies often find closer relationships between leadership and employees, which builds trust.

• Line managers in the third sector (non-profits and charities) are the most trusted. Trust levels in private and public sectors tend to be lower.

• Public sector employees have the lowest trust in their CEOs. This may reflect perceptions of bureaucracy and distance from decision makers.

• Newer employees trust their leaders more than long tenured staff. Trust tends to erode over time if leadership consistency is lacking.

• Younger employees are more trusting than older employees. This suggests that generational expectations may play a role in perceptions of trust.

• First time managers have high trust in their line managers. Early in their careers, new managers often place significant trust in their direct leaders.

• Senior leadership teams tend to trust CEOs more than other employees. Proximity to decision making processes may increase understanding and confidence.

  
  

How Do Your Leaders Measure Up?

If you were to evaluate leadership in your organisation using these seven dimensions of trust, what would you uncover?

Are your line managers seen as approachable and fair? Do your senior leaders understand the realities of their teams’ work? Are decisions made with integrity and openness?

Trust isn’t built overnight, but it can be strengthened with intentional effort. By assessing these dimensions, you can identify where leadership development initiatives can have the greatest impact.

Are you ready to assess the trust in your organisation? You could start by exploring how your leaders align with these seven dimensions and start to discover how trust could transform your workplace.

Alternatively, you could speak to us at The Leadership Coaches and we can explore together how coaching or tailored leadership development could help your organisation build trust. Get in touch to find out more.