“Leadership: It’s All about TRUST” May 2009

 An on-line newsletter from Ellen Castro that addresses

Leadership and Life in Times of Great Opportunity

Trust is like the air we breathe.

When it’s present, nobody notices.

But when it is absent, everybody notices!

Warren Buffett

Profound. True. Trust is the life force of an organization. It is the relationships, both internal and external, that gets an organization through uncertain times, not the latest org chart.

 Are people gasping for air in your organization?

If they are, be worried! Trust is a business issue, and in my belief, it is as critical as generating revenues. Your people are the competitive advantage. Once people become “brain dead” from lack and/or betrayal of trust, any competitive advantage is diminished.

Based on my education and business experience spanning 35+ years and three continents, my top 7 factors that cause capable, bright and loyal individuals to go comatose are “leaders” who...

Have to be center stage.

Are loyal only to themselves.

Micro-manage.

Take credit for another’s success.

Revert to “blackmail” as a way to gain control.

Play head games.

Think they are invincible.

Trust me, no one is invincible... been there, done that. The repercussions are not pleasant and inevitable.

REAL leaders choose to reap and sow trust with every single action, in every single moment.

Questions for Reflection

Are any of your actions depleting the air supply?

What is driving the self-defeating behavior? (For me, it was a gaping hole in my self-worth.)

The choice is ALWAYS yours!

Every choice counts.