Trust is a strange and complex thing. Being a slick and professional communicator doesn’t necessarily equate to inspiring trust. This is certainly true in the relationship between a senior leader and their employees whose interpretation will be influenced by what they actually see in the organisation on a day-to-day basis.

Importance-of-trust-in-communication

In fact, being a bit rough round the edges could actually elicit more trust, particularly if this means the communication is less like ‘spin’. And people are more likely to warm to someone who is saying things that have real meaning for them, and who is seen as consistent in their approach rather than like a chameleon.

Fine-tuning communication skills while remaining authentic and true to yourself is one of the big challenges, as is getting through to your audiences at a time when trust is very much in short supply.

Falling trust levels

The Edelman Trust Barometer 2015 reveals an alarming reduction of trust in relation to all institutions globally, reaching the low of the financial crisis of 2009. Now more than two thirds of the 27 countries surveyed fall into the ‘distruster’ category, including the UK which has shifted from the neutral to the negative zone over the last 12 months.

A number of factors are involved, not least among these being the many recent examples of poor and unethical practices by businesses that have led to significant problems for customers, employees and society as a whole. The Volkswagen emission test scandal is the most recent high-profile case. People cannot fail to be influenced by such stories even if they are not directly affected by them.

The current climate means that organisations have to work much harder to gain employee trust – it is no longer the default position. And so employers will be looking to communicators to help them overcome these barriers and establish strong connections with their people. They will want communications programmes that are as effective as possible in achieving these goals, as well as expert support in inspiring greater trust themselves.

Links between trust and engagement

There is a body of evidence around the links between trust and levels of employee engagement; for example, data from Gallup states that 96% of engaged employees trust their companies, while only 46% of engaged employees do so. And a 2008 Helliwell Huang study suggests that a 10% increase in trust has the equivalent effect on employee satisfaction of a 36% pay rise. In turn, raised employee engagement has all kinds of positive knock-on effects from increased productivity and innovation to reduced staff churn and sick leave, so there is clear business benefit to dealing with trust issues.

Making the investment in trust

No organisation or business leader can get things right 100% of the time, but having clear principles and values that staff can buy into; adhering to these consistently; and being seen to do so help to protect trust in difficult times.

Significant trust problems do not necessarily arise because of some dramatic event. Trust can be eroded gradually over time for a variety of reasons that seem relatively small when taken individually. And communication behaviour is a key part of this.

This year’s Insight seminar

IoIC’s Insight seminar on 12 November in London will help communicators to better understand the dynamics of trust and the part they can play in instilling trust in their organisation.

Through case studies, panel discussion and group exercises, delegate at this afternoon seminar will gain valuable insights into:

- Implications of the current trust environment for leaders and communicators
- The key building blocks of trust
- Links between trust and engagement
- Developing messages and initiatives that hit the spot
- Helping leaders to be authentic communicators
- Dealing with trust issues in difficult times
- Cultivating behaviours that help to build up the trust reservoir

Source: Institute of Internal Communication

They say, all is well, that ends well. This is something we tell ourselves after going through murky waters. Sometimes how something ends, does not imply it is well. It could be the beginning of something dire.

Forest Wildfire

Growing up we were always told that, the devil comes out to patrol at night. Those he finds still awake, will have to meet him. In our tiny minds we deciphered what it meant. We would make haste to fall asleep as soon as we went to bed. Many years later, now an adult, I have come to appreciate that despite the old story,  bad things do happen at night. A time when the world is fast asleep.

The money market crashes. A company that was worth billions, files for bankruptcy. A certain political figure decides to have sexual relations with a notorious prostitute. His illustrious career takes a nose dive. Thugs, go after the director of a company and kill him. Culminating in an investigation that drags the good name of the company through mad. Teachers, issue a 12 midnight ultimatum, which the government fails to honour. An office building burns down sending thousands home. One catastrophe after another. Eventually, when morning comes, you find yourself staring at multiple crises straight in the eyes. Whoever blinks first, looses.

If you wake up to this rude stare; always remember the ultimate goal is to maintain the image of the affected party. The company whose stocks went down. The Politician who strayed. The burnt office building: you have to maintain their respective images. And how do you do this?

Benoit, a proponent of the Image Restoration theory (1995) put forth techniques used when faced with a crisis. These are:

Denial

This strategy is employed by many, like it is second nature. Usually, when a crisis hits, one with a scandalous vibe to it, the affected party usually deny their involvement. The Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal comes to mind. When striking teachers in Kenya, demanded that the government revisit their request and make due their promise as passed by the courts, the Teachers Service Commission denied having the money to meet the request. Creating a back and forth kind of reaction, to date. It is now 4 weeks.

The famous Moses Kuria, after being caught on video inciting a local community against a particular community, he denied it. Efforts by one of the leading media houses, Citizen TV, to clarify the matter were met with an apathetic response. He had the audacity to walk out of an interview on air, when they were about to play the footage. A clear statement that he is distancing himself from the issue.

In all these cases, to date no party has accepted responsibility. It follows, we have forgotten about the whole issue.

Evading Responsibility

This tact is employed to throw the ball to someone else. Perhaps in an effort to strategise, if and when the issue gets worse.

The Kenyan government has realized that the teachers will not budge. They have resorted to involve the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).

It has called on the teachers to indulge the SRC in the dispute for they are mandated to handle anything and everything that appertains to Salaries of all public servants in the country. Despite the teachers demanding the government to heed the court's ruling, which was again reversed, the government sits pretty knowing it has tossed the ball to the SRC.

The media outlets reported, that Sarah Serem, would in fact resign if the government would decide to pay the teachers. Well, we wait.

Reducing Offensiveness

We often hear people saying; if the kitchen is too hot, get out. This is true in a crisis. If one party realizes, the one on the defense, things are getting hotter an act of making it less offensive is devised. The aim is to cushion the defensive party from the heat.

This may take many forms, but dialogue is the most common. The disputed elections of 2007/08 led to a national catastrophe. The whole fate of the country lay with Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga and retired President Mwai Kibaki. If they wouldn't have agreed to get into a room and talk it out; the Kenya we know today, wouldn't be in existence.

Corrective Action

In all crises, their is always an objective in mind. Let alone image maintenance: this is the objective. Consider the striking teachers; for the strike to end, the government has to effect the 50-60% pay rise. And as far as the union is concerned, the teachers seem not to be interested in any other outcome. Unless the government heeds this call, then the strike is still ongoing.

In other words, if employees are  striking for better pay, unless management meets this demand then the crisis will morph into something catastrophic. That is what we refer to as corrective action: deciding to take action in a bid to correct the situation that caused the crisis in the first place. Usually, the sooner the better. Effect the pay and be done with it.

Mortification

According to dictionary.com, mortification is a feeling of humiliation or shame, as through some injury to one's pride or self-respect. The after math of a crisis will always drag with it a sense of shame. More so to the party that seemed immovable rather arrogant during the whole period.

I remember hearing terms like: 'Can't pay, won't pay.' The teachers responded with their, 'Can't teach. Won't teach' version. Whichever direction the strikes goes, one party is bound to experience some humiliation. Usually, its the management or a politician in case of a sexual scandal. They end up being the victims of shame.

In quick review; when in crisis mode consider Benoit's regimen. Denial, evading responsibility, reducing offensiveness, corrective action and mortification. In your everyday encounters, use the above to fix a crisis in your company and or surrounding. Let me know how it goes.