Hackett and Wang (in Elkington, 2017) looked at 54 Confucian and Aristotelean values to come up with the six virtues every ethical business leader should exhibit when making decisions in a complex environment.

Their six virtues of an ethical leader are courage, temperance, justice, prudence, humanity, and truthfulness.

The last, truthfulness, is what we’re focusing on here, as I build a link between the “cousins”, trust and truth.

Truthfulness is the capacity to act authentically, to speak honestly, and to strive to do the right, even when those actions may be unpopular or difficult.

This is Hackett and Wang’s definition.

Truth. Authenticity. Integrity. Can they cause trust?

It wasn’t 100% clear to me whether one could draw a line between truth and trust until I read research by Paul Zak (2017) about the neuroscience of trust.

My earlier comments (https://mgk-associates.co.za/trust-trumps/) about openness, communication and trust line up with his findings that sharing information broadly (truthfulness) is one way to foster trust.

Only 40% of employees report that they are well informed about their company’s goals, strategies and tactics. This uncertainty . . . inhibits the release of oxytocin (the human hormone evident in enhanced quantities when persons are trusted, and when they trust). Openness is the antidote.

If this blog is trying to achieve anything, it’s to make ethics practical, not just for the leaders at the helm of an institution or organisation, but those who lead in smaller spheres every day.

How do we make this connection between trust and truth, matter?

There are things you and I can do to develop trust and to grow ourselves as ethical persons and ethical leaders.

David Horsager (2012) sets out eight strengths of a person who is trusted (his words) and an ethical leader (my words):

 

1. You exhibit clarity (truthfulness) about your expectations and the big picture you’re driving towards.
2. You show compassion, thinking beyond yourself and caring about others.
3. You show character (or courage), doing “what is right ahead of what is easy”.
4. You contribute. You deliver results. “Few things build trust quicker than actual results . . . You can have compassion and character, but without the results you promised, people won’t trust you.”
5. You’re competent . . . and stay competent by continually reading, learning and listening.
6. You’re connected . . . ie. Not just with Facebook friends who show a perfect face to the world!
7. You carry on through adversity, showing commitment.
8. And you show consistency. You show up. You do what you say. Again and again and again.

 

Trust can be grown through authenticity, consistency and truthfulness, says the organisational trust guru.

The desire to trust and be trusted is built into us, says the neuroscientist.

I conclude that, in doing the activities that lead us to be trusted, we’re being authentic, not fake.

I’ll look at some of the other virtues of an ethical person leading in a volatile, uncertain, ambiguous global environment in upcoming blogs.

 

References

Elkington, R. 2017. Ethical Leadership at the Speed of VUCA: Visionary Leadership in a Turbulent World. Bingley, United Kingdom: Emerald Publishing Limited.

 

Horsager, D. 24 October 2012. You Can’t  Be a Great Leader Without Trust – Here’s How You Build It https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesleadershipforum/2012/10/24/you-cant-be-a-great-leader-without-trust-heres-how-you-build-it

 

Zak, P. 2017. The Neuroscience of Trust. Harvard Business Review January-February 2017 https://hbr.org/2017/01/the-neuroscience-of-trust