The 10 Laws of Trust from the Chairman of Jet Blue
(This post is based on my conversation with Joel Peterson.)
Every leader learns that success requires trusting others.
“I believe in trusting. Trust begets trust.” Mahatma Gandhi
A trust-lesson from Joel Peterson, the Chairman of Jet Blue and author of, “The 10 Laws of Trust.”
The 10 Laws of Trust
#1. Start with personal integrity.
Integrity tip: Be intentional about “fixing yourself.” Solicit and receive feedback.
#2. Invest in respect.
SHRM reports that respectful treatment of all employees at all levels is the most important factor contributing to employee job satisfaction.
Respect tips:
- Steer clear of trash-talking even the competition.
- Give feedback.
- Listen to concerns.
- Expect people to bring their best.
#3. Empower others.
Empowerment tip: If you can, get rid of the policy manuals. Eliminate micromanagement. Confidence in employees yields confidence in themselves.
#4. Measure what you want to achieve.
Accountability tip: Define what winning looks like. Without clarity about outcomes, nobody can be accountable.
#5. Create a common dream.
Common dream tip: Collect and celebrate “hero stories.” Honor team members. Tell stories about how they fulfill mission.
#6. Keep everyone informed.
Communication tip: Own the bad news. If people are told only the good, no matter how triumphantly, they will be consumed by mistrust.
#7. Embrace respectful conflict.
Conflict tip: Think like a mediator, not a judge. Strong leaders hold back as much as they speak up. When others participate, trust grows.
#8. Show humility.
Humility tips:
- Be an eager learner, not an arrogant knower.
- Welcome personal change.
- Receive correction.
- Say, “I don’t really know the answer to that.”
More tips:
#9. Strive for win-win negotiations.
Win-win tips:
- Aim to create value for all parties.
- Find power in inquiry. Listen more than talking.
#10. Fix breaches immediately.
- Expect that you’ll have to keep running toward fires.
- When tension surfaces in your organization, take a break. Pick things up later.
Lack of trust makes simple work slow and easy work difficult.
Which of the 10 Laws of Trust is most relevant to you today?
How might leaders build trust?
Bonus material:
The 10 Laws of Trust (Book)
10 Laws of Trust Diagnostic (Name and email required)
Speed of Trust (Covey)
All 10 are good and great talk. During the first talk I was thinking do I fail my leaders trust? I have a job that it is rare that my chief gets involved. Now I am looking back at a project that I was given with no clear due by date. I didn’t think I should be doing it. Its at the bottom of my list and has been all year. Do I need to look at rule 10 and conciser if I need to repair trust that the other person is not aware that it has been compromised?
Dan – where to begin!!!! One of your best today.
Trust is everything – all of these are relevant I can’t separate them.
I’ve been thinking lately that staff surveys are one of the worst things ever created – because they reflect the fact that leadership is not in touch with the staff. MBWA is still one of the best tools to engender trust – proving you have focussed on the first 4 rules above first!
As I said to one of my CEO’s “Why create the illusion you’re going to do something in response when you’ve already made your mind up?” – it’s just a great way to say “screw you”!!
Love your work Dan, keep it up.
#7. Embrace respectful conflict, is most relevant. How leaders build trust is getting their hands dirty with the team.
I like that you gave us a breaker as you dug more into humility. To me, this is the most relevant law as it is something that I have always believed but have unfortunately been at fault for not following at times. I like how Mr. Peterson explained that asking someone what they think about a situation can go a long way. Not only does humility build trust with those around you but it also keeps you honest with yourself and remains a key trait to explore when embracing self-improvement/development. Leaders can build trust by showing actions that directly showcase their humility.
Metrics. Measuring what we want to achieve has shown an increase in production. But beyond that, measuring leadership in a way that is tangible is something I am looking for myself these days. Did I do any leading today? How can I work to increase my presence as a leader? These are a couple of questions I ask myself from time to time. I feel like leading is easy when we have a task, but leading when there isn’t a clear objective can be challenging. Keeping moral up or the team engaged can be taxing on leaders. When I close out the day, I ask did I do much leading today?
I feel leaders build trust by allowing staff to participate and to utilize their suggestions. Also, by walking beside the staff instead of in front when completing task. This assures them you are also seeing the challenges from their view.