How Trustworthy are You as a Leader?

As a leader, how might your staff rank YOU in terms of trust?

Facets of Trust

Benevolence:

• caring
• extending good will
• having positive interactions
• supporting teachers
• expressing appreciation for staff efforts
• being fair
• guarding confidential information 

Honesty:

• having integrity
• telling the truth
• keeping promises
• honoring agreements
• having authenticity
• accepting responsibility
• avoiding manipulation
• being real
• being true to oneself

Openness:

• engaging in open communication
• sharing important information
• delegating
• sharing decision making
• sharing power

Reliability:

• having consistency
• being dependable
• demonstrating commitment
• having dedication
• being diligent

Competence:

• setting an example
• engaging in problem solving
• fostering conflict resolution (rather than avoidance)
• working hard
• pressing for results
• setting standards
• buffering teachers
• handling difficult situations
• being flexible

From:  Trust Matters by Megan Tschannen-Moran
Published by: Jossey-Bass

Defining Trust

As a leader, do you trust others and are you trustworthy? 

Most people rely on an intuitive feel of what is meant when we say that we trust someone.  Trust is difficult to define because it is so complex.  It is a multifaceted construct, meaning that there are many elements or drivers of an overall level of trust.  Trust may vary somewhat depending on the context of the trust relationship.  It is also dynamic in that it can change over the course of a relationship, as expectations are either fulfilled or disappointed and as the nature of the interdependence between two people changes.  Reoccuring themes emerged as I examined various definitions of trust in the literature, which led me to the following definition:  Trust is one's willingness to be vulnerable to another based on the confidence that the other is benevolent, honest, open, reliable, and competent (Mishra, 1996; Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 1998, 2000)

From:  Trust Matters by Megan Tschannen-Moran
Published by: Jossey-Bass

Trust Matters

How is your leadership informed by trust?

Key Points About Why Trust Matters

• School leaders that have the trust of their communities are more likely to be successful in creating productive learning environments.

• Trust is a challenge for schools at this point in history, when all of our institutions are under unprecedented scrutiny.

• Much of the responsibility for realizing our society's vision of greater equity is vested in our schools.  Consequently, higher expectations are especially brought to bear on those who educate our children.

• Without trust, schools are likely to flounder in their attempts to provide constructive educational environments and meet the lofty goals that our society has set for them because energy needed to solve the complex problem of educating a diverse group of students is diverted into self-protection.

• Trustworthy leadership is the heart of productive schools.

From:  Trust Matters by Megan Tschannen-Moran
Published by: Jossey-Bass