Continuous improvement with the three Cs

Process: Andy Skinner, AMS Business Consultants

Over many years of personal experience and working with many businesses, it is clear to me that trust is built through deliberate, everyday behaviours that are underpinned by actions that align with values.

Of course that does vary business by business, however one thing is clear – trust is not developed by the creation of policies.

Leading with transparency will allow you to share your goals and decisions openly, as well as being open to challenges. By explaining the ‘why’ behind changes and strategies, you will reduce uncertainty and build credibility.

I truly believe integrity and accountability are essential to developing trust and a culture where you can follow through on commitments and admit mistakes; a culture where you can hold everyone – especially leadership – accountable to the same standards.

Through our continuous improvement techniques, we empower employees, giving people autonomy and trusting them to make decisions.

A culture of improvement invites employees to contribute ideas and solve problems, encouraging ownership and making them feel valued and heard. This empowerment builds mutual respect and trust between teams and management. Culturally it is important to make it safe to speak up, ask questions and share ideas without fear of judgment. I would encourage you to celebrate learning from failure rather than punishing it.

Communication is essential as well. Use clear, honest and empathetic communication. Listen actively and respond thoughtfully to feedback. In our Change Management training modules, we share various tools and techniques that bring this to life, and pragmatic techniques you can use as well.  Consistent communication keeps everyone aligned and engaged.

The three Cs

I often refer to ‘The Three Cs of Trust in Leadership’ – something I learned many years ago:

• Competence – can you do the job well?
• Character – are you honest and ethical?
• Caring – do you genuinely care about the wellbeing of others?

Trust is critical to business in my opinion, and those that really get it right see greater engagement, lower turnover and stronger performance.

I believe that trust fuels collaboration, creativity and resilience – especially during change or crisis. Something I have vast experience of, having delivered many change programmes and recently taken on a Co-Chairman role at Ipswich Wanderers FC, where in the past few months all of the above have been a key part of my approach.

Would you like help designing a trust-building action plan tailored to your team or leadership style? I’d love to help you map it out.