Influence & Trust Building
Competency Definition: The process of building trust and respect that motivates others to support your ideas, while also having an effect on (influencing) their character, development, or behavior in a meaningful way.
It's important to build this competency because...
- Self-Benefits:
- Stronger Relationships - Builds authentic trust with colleagues from diverse backgrounds, fostering inclusivity and belonging.
- Increased Credibility - Demonstrates equity, empathy, and consistency, which strengthens one’s ability to lead inclusively.
- Enhanced Ability to Drive Change - Trust allows you to better gain buy-in for ideas and initiatives that promote equity, innovation, and continuous improvement that supports us meeting our mission and vision.
- Organizational Benefits:
- Talent Management Strategy - When employees feel respected and trusted, they are more committed, satisfied, and motivated to stay. This creates opportunities for growth and advancement across a diverse workforce by supporting development in an inclusive way.
- Greater Agility in Navigating Change - Leaders who foster trust invite diverse perspectives, leading to better, more equitable decisions. This accelerates alignment and adaptability during change, reducing resistance and increasing buy-in.
- Enhanced Collaboration Across Teams - Builds bridges across departments and functions, ensuring diverse voices contribute to shared goals.
- Culture of Psychological Safety - Encourages people to share ideas, speak up, and innovate without fear of judgment, fueling creativity and inclusivity.
- Organizational Credibility & Employer Brand - A reputation for trust-based leadership positions the organization as a destination workplace for diverse talent
Resources
Below you'll find resources for building Knowledge, Skills, and Ability (KSAs) for this competency.
- Knowledge - Information acquired through education or experience about a subject. (Think: "what you know").
- Skill - The power to perform a specific task effectively that is demonstrated through actions and developed through practice and/or experience. (Think: "what you can do").
- Ability - The natural or learned capacity for doing something. Note, not everyone is going to have the same level of natural ability to do something. Someone’s natural ability can make it harder or easier to develop skills. (Think, "what you're naturally capable of or have developed over time").