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Trustworthiness Is Just as Important as Competence in Leadership


There are a lot of important leadership skills out there, that any manager should strive for. But trustworthiness is just as important as oft-touted skills like confidence and competence.

Heidi Grant Halvorson over at 99u explains:

Harvard Business School professor Amy Cuddy, author of many of the key studies on trust and leadership, has argued that when you project competence before warmth, you run the risk of appearing cold and eliciting fear from your employees. They might respect you, but fearful employees are rarely able to work at their best. And you certainly can't blame them for wanting to jump ship once an offer to work for someone who doesn't make them constantly anxious comes along.

Confidence in your abilities is important, she says, but so many of us are focused on proving ourselves that we neglect that warmth that makes our colleagues trust us. Keep that in mind the next time you interact with your team. Check out the link below for more.

The Most Important Skill for Great Leaders? Trustworthiness. | 99u

Photo by blu-news.org.