trust /trəst/ - noun firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. "relations have to be built on trust"
One of the toughest things to accomplish as a manager is hiring the right people to work alongside you (or sometimes even tougher, to inherit someone else's hire). The "T" in my Dream T.E.A.M stands for Trust. Trust is one of the most important attributes for people I choose to work with. If I am unable to trust what they say or what they will do, I find myself unable to focus on the job at hand and in a situation where I am second-guessing or micro-managing projects - which is something I loathe doing. Team, to me, includes both co-workers within the organization, and the myriad of freelancers and vendors that I work with. Interestingly, I actually do not operate from a trust needs to be gained perspective but, from a belief that inherently people are good and will do as they promise.
Vendor Selection - If I choose to work with a new vendor or partner, I have vetted in the process of working with them, whether or not I would "trust" them if I were to leave them alone to entertain my son. I trust my partners to be the experts in their area and that they will complement my strengths with their own. I can say with full confidence that there is no partner or vendor that I have worked with in the last couple of years that doesn't pass that trust test.
I surround myself with people who have knowledge and talents in areas where I might not be so well versed.” Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Group
Hiring - One of the biggest pitfalls of hiring is trusting your "gut" and falling for the way a candidate presents him/her/their self and not necessarily how he/she/they would handle a particular situation. One of the tactics that I incorporate into my interview process are reality-based questions like; "tell me about a time when x and y happened…" or "when this happened in your previous company what did you do?" This way I can balance my 'trust/would I leave you alone with my son' requirement alongside specific examples that demonstrate whether or not the candidate meets the need of the role and has the skillset I am looking to fill.
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