Yesterday we looked at a study that shows that employees trust business leaders more than they trust politicians. Today we present some analysis on what that study might mean.
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For the results of the study, please look at yesterday’s Advisor.
“Based on these findings, I would assume that a significant contributing factor to this disparity in trust and confidence is due to a perceived lack of consistency among many politicians and business leaders in their values, priorities, and behavior,” commented Scott. “We want leaders whose stated beliefs are aligned with their behavior. For example, if a leader says that he or she values input and doesn’t ask for it or rejects it out of hand when it’s offered, then decisions are made before the conversation has an opportunity to begin. Unfortunately, many of us have gotten so used to saying what we think others want to hear, we forget that some people actually want the truth.”
Radical transparency goes hand in hand with another Fierce philosophy—that trust also requires persistent identity. These concepts are rooted in Fierce’s principle: the conversation is the relationship. Given that our most valuable currency is relationship, politicians need to take greater responsibility to articulate how and why their opinions may evolve over time and invite dialogue.
“Given that we are in the middle of a contentious, unpredictable election cycle, our goal was to have a better understanding of what people are looking for in political leaders,” said Stacey Engle, EVP of marketing at Fierce. “Looking at the bigger picture, we also wondered if there would be any difference with desired attributes for politicians compared to leaders in the corporate world. What we found interesting is that most people do not feel like their leaders have their best interest in mind, regardless of the setting in which they are leading. Leaders across the board need to gain people’s heads and hearts. Those who clearly and effectively communicate the reasoning behind their decisions and points of view will gain the trust of their audience.”
Fierce designed and conducted the survey this spring, receiving more than 250 responses from professionals of all positions, the majority in the manager or director role (54%), and ranging in age from 45 to 64 years old (60%). The findings highlight how people feel about leaders in business and politics and what qualities they value in a leader.