Leader-member exchange is among one of the influential theories in leadership studies. “LMX says that leadership is a process that is centered on the interactions between leaders and followers. The relationship between leaders and followers is at the heart of the leadership process” (PSU, 2018). One of the important themes in the exploration of effective leadership process and the interaction between the leader and the follower is trust. Trust is an important foundation in a leader and a follower relationship building. Prominent leaders like Collin Powell have recognized trust to be among of the pillars of leadership and key elements in the establishment of fruitful relationship (Powell, 2011).
There is a reason for trust being such an important foundation. “The trust that leaders place in those they lead allows both the leader and her/his followers to excel”(Mineo, 2014). It is the bonding essence that allows the relationship to flourish. For example, if a leader realizes the importance of change, it is going to be more welcomed if the relationship of trust is established. Most likely the change is accepted if the followers understand that the leader is acting in their best interest.
So how do we build trust? First we have to understand that trust building can take time. Next step is to realize what is a foundation of trust itself. It is “created by organizational credibility, respect and fairness”(Mineo, 2014). Examination of the whole brings about new insights. For example, uniqueness of followers culture may be taken in consideration when building credibility, showing signs of respect and considering what is fair.
When building trust it is best to take the first step and lead by example. We start by establishment of a link of similarity (DeSteno, 2014). Than we can move forward by also following the advice provided by Brower et al. (2017), such as giving up control, sharing information, pushing for needed change and investing in followers development. A leader can start sharing some of the responsibilities, update the follower on the important news within the organization, comment on the needs of improvement of processes that can benefit the followers, as well as present and highlight opportunities for development of the follower.
Route to trust is not always a quick one, but it can be enjoyable. The benefits of it can result in fruitful relationship in years to come. It is important to recognize that leadership is a two way street, so it is leader’s responsibility and privilege to make it meaningful.
P.S.
“In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond. So hold the hand of the person whom you put faith and trust in rather than expecting them to hold yours” (author unknown).
References
Author unknown. Retrieved March 20, 2014, from
http://www.boardofwisdom.com/togo/Quotes/ShowQuote?msgid=48030#.UzMNivldV8E
Brower, H., Korsgaard, A., Lester, S. (2017). Want Your Employees to Trust You? Show You Trust Them. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved March 20, 2018 from https://hbr.org/2017/07/want-your-employees-to-trust-you-show-you-trust-them
DeSteno, D. (2014). The simplest way to build trust. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved March 20, 2018 from https://hbr.org/2014/06/the-simplest-way-to-build-trust
Mineo, D. (2014). The importance of trust in leadership. Research Management Review, Volume 20, Number 1. Retrieved March 20, 2018 from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1038828.pdf
Powell, C. (2011). The Essence of Leadership. YouTube. Retrieved March 20, 2018 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocSw1m30UBI
PSU (2018). Introduction to Leader-Member Exchange. PSYCH 485. Lesson 08. Retrieved March 20, 2018 from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1925331/modules/items/23786583
Kirk says
Hi,
Thank you for your blog entry regarding the LMX theory. You keyed in on what I believe is the most important characteristic of any successful relationship, and that is the important of mutual trust. Mutual trust is not only important in our personal relationships, but it is always of critical important to the leader-follower relationship. Followers must be able to trust their leaders, and in turn, leader must be able to trust their followers. Northouse (2016) notes that in a mature partnership marked by high-quality leader-member exchanges, individuals “experience a high degree of mutual trust, respect, and obligation toward each other” (p. 143). In our relationships, we form unspoken psychological contracts with one another, and at the core of this contract is trust. Muchinsky and Culbertson (2016) state that a “psychological contract is violated (that is, breached) when one party in a relationship perceives that another has failed to fulfill the promised obligations” (p. 331). When either a leader or a follower fails to fulfill their obligations in a relationship, trust is eroded. It takes time to build trust, but only one moment can erode it. It’s important for leaders to remember the central nature of trust to our relationships, and work hard to preserve it.
Thanks!
References:
Muchinsky, P.M. Culbertson, S.S. (2016). Psychology applied to work: an introduction to industrial and organizational psychology. Eleventh Edition. Summerfield, NC: Hypergraphic Press.
Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications