Peer to Peer Magazine

82 PEER TO PEER: THE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF ILTA | WINTER 2016 by Laura J. Broomell Our society has transformed distrust into a commonplace sentiment — one not only unquestioned, but even assumed to be natural. This normalization of distrust has been evidenced perhaps most strongly by the 2016 U.S. presidential election campaign, where distrust is not just unquestioned but assumed to be natural, as it is amplified by a context of incivility. This generalized lack of trust, as it continues to diffuse throughout our social spheres, seems to have crept into the workplace. But if we recognize this early and take action to change it, we can work to eradicate distrust from our professional environments and thrive in a happy, trusting space. Is trust important in the workplace? You betcha. When trust is apparent in the workplace, you have an engaged, high-performing team focused on innovation. Studies support this idea, showing that annual revenues grow in high-trust environments. Keep in mind, however, that there are two types of trust: character and competence. Stephen M. R. Covey writes of this idea in a fascinating book titled "The Speed of Trust, The One Thing That Changes Everything." He writes that character trust "includes your integrity, your motive, your intent with people." Competence trust, on the other hand, includes your "capabilities, your skills, your results, your track record." Covey argues that you can trust someone's character but not their competence, and vice versa. We are working in a rapidly changing industry. Trust is tested most thoroughly during times of uncertainty and change. Here are some ways to earn and keep trust in our law firms and corporate legal departments: » Communicate, Communicate, Communicate: For years, I have said we can solve most of our problems by improving communication. Many of us think we are great communicators, but most of us need to triple our amount of communication. Authentic communication can lead to a culture of trust. However, if there is a void in communication, we automatically try to fill the void by making assumptions, which can lead to negative outcomes. The demons inside our heads start shouting at us. » Listen: There are few truly good listeners, but listening is the key to effective communication. Listening is not the same as hearing. When listening, you are not only paying complete aention to what words are being said, you are also paying aention to tone of voice and nonverbal cues. We oen hear about the seven percent rule. In 1971, Albert Mehrabian published a book, "Silent Messages," that details his research on nonverbal communication. He concluded that seven percent of any message conveyed is through words, 38 percent through vocal tone and 55 percent through facial expressions, gestures, posture and other body language. How perceptive are you to receiving the message being delivered? » Put Down the Device: Yes, I am suggesting to ILTA members that you don't use technology "This world of ours … must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be instead a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect." — Dwight D. Eisenhower Making Trust Matter in the Workplace Making Trust Maer in the Workplace LESSONS LEARNED

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