Trust and responsibility go hand in hand

Pri Notowidigdo, The Amrop Hever Group, Global Executive Search (e-mail: jakarta@amrophever.com)

"Thank you for your trust in me," remarked one candidate to me after he was shortlisted for a Finance Director position with one of my multinational clients. His response brought to mind numerous times when I have heard other people, including myself, express that same statement upon being given the trust and the subsequent responsibility to do a job.

What is the true meaning and practice of trust and responsibility? How do we get people to take individual responsibility for the success of an organization, or even for the success of a job? How do we create a culture of personal responsibility? If everyone knew what to do - when, how, where to do it, and most importantly, why - what would happen? If everyone desired to do his job correctly, on time, and could be trusted to act with integrity in support of an organization's aims and goals, how would these people be managed? If pride in work or accomplishment, rather than profit maximization, were the driving motivation, would the profit be more or less?

Perhaps we can begin with our "leaders" - public figures, your boss, you as a manager, or even you as the head of a household. In the end, the seeds of trust and responsibility in their true meaning are embedded with each of us and how we can influence those immediately around us.

If a "leader" is to inspire trust and responsibility in others, he must be perceived to practise it. He must be proactive, not reactive. He must have a high level of consciousness and purpose while taking responsibility for every action without blaming others. He must be clear on what is possible and what is not possible under his leadership. Especially in difficult times like now, he must be positive and continue to move towards a goal.

Seek information on what people (your workers or those under your span of influence) would like to do in order to move beyond their job descriptions. Be courageous enough to give corrective feedback without blaming and point out the consequences. Help people to experience themselves as the source of their actions and show them into the why. Remember that your role as "leader" is to inspire people to come up with solutions.

At the end of the day, we come down to the importance of having clear principles in order to make our lives more meaningful and productive. Our task becomes that of building and sustaining relationships for life - whether personal or professional - is about people. And relationships are based on shared values and principles. People will trust you to the extent that they know what your principles (or deeply held values) are.

They will trust you to the extent that they know that they can rely on you to act in accordance with your principles. Unfortunately, values and principles are not highly visible in today's world. and the consequent decline of trust is all too visible. This situation is truly a paradox.

At the end, the more that you are trusted by people, the more likely that you will be given responsibility and demonstrate that trust. The benefits will be mutually rewarding - for you and those around you to thrive professionally and personally - and for the community at large to sustain its strength and viability as a group.

Trust and responsibility are not new. What is new is the extent to which we require it of ourselves as a community to remain competitive as well as integrative.