Circle of Trust

Leadership is simply getting into the heart and mind of what motivates a person and binding them to a common cause.

My CoT today focused on the importance of accomplishing team goals through mechanisms of transparency, candor, and alignment on a shared vision. A leader cannot ensure his teams alignment is authentic and sustainable without trust, which is either earned or burned.

“A team is not a group of people who work together. A team is a group of people who trust each other.”

• Simon Sinek

It’s easy for leaders to get tunnel vision on goals and exhaust relationships in pursuit. Often unintentionally falling into the trap of insincere manipulation which involves using tactics to coerce or deceive people into doing something primarily for the leader’s benefit, often without genuine regard for their personal goals or well-being. This approach can lead to a lack of trust and commitment, as individuals feel used rather than valued.

Kim Scott wrote an excellent book on leadership called Radical Candor in which she provides a simple 4 quandrant matrix for a leader to evaluate their methods. A leaders actions will fall somewhere in one of these four quadrants: Radical Candor, ruinous empathy, obnoxious aggression, and manipulative insincerity.

1. Radical Candor: This is the ideal quadrant. Leaders who operate here provide honest feedback while showing that they genuinely care about the person. This approach fosters trust and encourages growth.

2. Ruinous Empathy: In this quadrant, leaders care about their team members but avoid giving critical feedback to avoid hurting their feelings. While well-intentioned, this approach can hinder growth and lead to unresolved issues.

3. Obnoxious Aggression: Leaders in this quadrant are blunt and direct with their feedback but lack empathy. This can create a hostile environment where team members may feel undervalued and demotivated.

4. Manipulative Insincerity: This is the worst quadrant. Leaders here neither care about their team members nor challenge them directly. Feedback, if given, is insincere or motivated by self-interest, leading to a lack of trust and respect.

How to avoid the bad quadrants:

Ruinous Empathy: Recognize the need to provide constructive feedback, even when it might be uncomfortable. Balancing empathy with honesty is crucial for development.

Obnoxious Aggression: Work on developing empathy and understanding. Feedback should be given in a way that shows you care about the person’s growth.

Manipulative Insincerity: Reflect on your intentions and strive to build genuine connections with your team. Authenticity and directness are key to effective leadership.