Success factor #1: Trust

There has never been a time in history when the world has changed as rapidly as it has in recent years. Digitalization has fundamentally altered how we communicate and interact privately, as well as how the economy operates. But before we had the chance to adapt our processes and business models to the new opportunities and realities of the digital age, we now face an even more fundamental challenge: the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education, research, and the way the economy as a whole—and individual businesses—will manage this shift.

Certainties are fading, and the world of work is changing quickly. Many services will be replaced by AI, and entirely new talents, skills, and processes will be needed—skills that we do not yet know, and for which no career models exist. However, amidst this change, there is one constant that no technology—however advanced—can replace: trust.

Unfortunately, trust is in short supply if we look at the research of Professor Robert Hurley, who wrote the book The Decision to Trust: How Leaders Create High-Trust Organizations. In a survey of 450 leaders from 30 companies, half of the respondents stated that they did not trust their supervisors. They complained that their work environment was threatening, stressful, and tense, and that team spirit was completely lacking. The other half praised a work atmosphere they described as motivating, supportive, pleasant, and productive.

It goes without saying that in the battle for top talent, the factor of trust is becoming increasingly important, especially for a new generation that values appreciation, team spirit, and motivating leadership more than compensation. So how can leaders ensure that employees trust them, and that this trust is reciprocated with high loyalty and commitment from the team?

There are three core drivers of trust: authenticity, logic, and empathy.

Authenticity: Employees experience the true personality of their leader.

Logic: The leader is professionally competent, and their judgment is sound.

Empathy: Employees feel valued and supported.

However, economic success for a company is not guaranteed with trust alone. As Arthur Yeung, a member of the management team at Chinese internet and social media giant Tencent, points out, in the past, companies typically hired leaders who were good at creating standardized processes, formulating strategic five-year plans, and establishing controls. In the digital world, however, leaders must be hired who foster an innovation-oriented culture, encourage creative thinking, and promote agility and speed. Yeung emphasizes: “All of this can only be achieved if we build a solid foundation of trust and responsibility.”

When recruiting leadership and assembling teams in the future, creating a trusting work environment will be even more critical. In such an environment, a culture of appreciation and motivation will be rewarded with high loyalty and performance.

Examining the Hogan ScalesThe results of Hogan personality assessments can shed light on potential barriers to building trust within teams. For example, individuals with high scores on the “Skeptical” scale of the Hogan Development Survey (HDS) may be less trusting of others. When stressed or not taking care of themselves, they might assume others have ulterior motives. For those with high “Skeptical” scores, sharing this result and the associated behaviors can be a first step in combating the tendency to exclude others and developing a plan to help build trust.

While the “Skeptical” scale is a good example of a scale that can be used to build trust, other scales can also help in this process. This includes the “Arrogant” scale (HDS), which measures the tendency to reject feedback and appear arrogant, and the “Excitable” scale (HDS), which measures the tendency to appear temperamental and critical under stress.