How do Your Leaders Foster Your Trust?

I believe that true leaders foster trust, that leadership is earned, and that it is granted by followers.  “Leadership” is a way of being with people such that others want what the leader stands for.  Leadership is not about position power.  It might be about charisma for awhile, but if the leader does not deliver what is promised, charisma will not hold the followers’ trust.

I just made a significant assertion and would like to test it out.  I would like to know if you see YOUR leaders fostering YOUR trust, and if so, how?  By leaders, I do not mean “representative” leaders, those whom you know only by reputation with whom you have had no personal experience.  I mean leaders whom you follow because of who they are being and what they stand for.  You might have chosen to work at a company because of exceptional leadership and your trust in that individual, or team.  You might attend a particular church because of the minister and their leadership in the area of spirituality.  You might have joined a not for profit because the leader was successful in enrolling you in the cause, and embodied a trusting presence.  I am wondering about your PERSONAL experience of leaders fostering trust.

We have experienced significant disappointment in leaders in recent months who have demonstrated the antithesis of fostering trust.  The newspapers are full of stories about business leaders at AIG, car manufacturers, financial institutions of all kinds, and political leaders who put self-interest before the interest of customers.  Self-interest at a senior executive level does not foster trust!  I have personally seen a great leader painted with the same brush because of the press around poor leadership. These disappointments, although maybe not personal, can damage our willingness to trust.

The issue of leaders fostering trust is subtle and powerful.  If I were to conduct a survey, what issues would I need to include in that survey to generate an understanding of what, in a leader, fosters trust?  I welcome your comments, your questions, your concerns.