The 5 Leadership Habits That Quietly Kill Trust in a Team | Entrepreneur

"In times of crisis, employees pay great attention to what their leader is like. It is in these moments that trust shifts from a "soft value" to a strategic asset that directly affects motivation, retention and even financial results. Companies with high levels of trust outperform competitors in efficiency by up to 400%, and 93% of business leaders believe that trust directly impacts financial performance."

"Leaders often believe that being across everything is about quality-checking; in reality, it's more about a lack of trust in the team. In a survey of 14,000 employees for Jacob Morgan's book, Leading with Vulnerability (2023), only 16% reported ever having faced a leader who showed vulnerability, asked for help, or acknowledged mistakes. That leaves the majority feeling undervalued and with no motivation."

"Under Bob Chapek, Disney's leadership became known for excessive oversight. Staff felt that their creativity was being stifled, as leadership was unwilling to delegate. There was also a significant amount of instability and mistrust stemming from internal tension and declining morale among employees. Empower your team to lead on their responsibilities. Effective delegation enables leaders to focus on broader goals and provides employees with the space to grow."

During crises employees scrutinize leaders; trust becomes a strategic asset affecting motivation, retention, and financial outcomes. High-trust companies outperform competitors and many leaders see trust as financially impactful, yet few employees trust leaders and many believe CEOs are dishonest. Common leadership mistakes include micromanaging, which stems from lack of trust and stifles creativity; suppressing vulnerability and posing as invulnerable, which risks burnout; and excessive oversight as seen in Disney under Bob Chapek, causing instability and declining morale. Leaders should delegate, empower teams, and cultivate openness to maintain trust and organizational resilience.

Read at Entrepreneur