Daryl's Blog

Most weeks I get drawn into the affairs of a charity somewhere that has hit a sticky patch and can I help. Many years ago someone  said to me, the issue is never the issue. This has stayed with me ever since. A couple of weeks ago I had to spend time researching the Data Protection Act; last week it was health and safety, the week before, I can't recall. But I know very well that the real issue is usually buried just below the surface. So when I come to call on you as I'm always ready to, oh yes, I'll talk through the whole gamut of charity issues, responsibilities, regulations. I can do that all day if necessary. But while I'm doing that I will be sniffing the wind and asking, 'Do they like one another? What are trust levels like?

As I've said before in my best cracked gramaphone mode, most problems in organisations are relational, (well yes ok, shortage of money is also often an issue; I'll talk about that another time)

So let's remind you yet again what happens when trust is low:

People are frightened to speak out. Someone said to me only last week, 'I have a wife and children to consider' (was his life under threat, could they be taken hostage?). But the fear is real and we daren't laugh.

People are guarded, there's a lack of transparency, lack of volunteering, lack of teamwork, new initiatives are viewed with suspicion, motives are always being questioned. Confidence breaks down.

Efficiency and effectiveness breaks down. Culture of blame develops. Barriers everywhere. Backs are covered. Hidden agendas.

Basically everything slows down.

Where trust levels are high, we get the opposite: people want to be around, decisions are made fast and implemented quickly. People are allowed to make mistakes. Some environments will even encourage screw ups, on the basis that if people are allowed to get things wrong in a no blame culture, they will have the confidence to succeed and succeed well. If you have volunteers working for you, it's imperative that you do all you can to allow them to operate in a safe, blame free, high trust environment.

Remember. there are tremendous benefits when trust levels are high: When leaders are trusted energy is released. When others are trusted they do more, they work harder and better, they give themselves more. Oh and costs are reduced, always useful. Lencioni's book, 'The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team', majors on the damage caused by a lack of trust and appreciation.

The data protection issue? I researched it and sent off  carefully worded advice and charged a couple of hours of time. But was clear when I followed up later that the issues were relational, and down to a lack of trust.

Check out on the trust levels of the organisations you're involved in. The only way to know if you can trust someone is to trust them.