“Leaders who trust their co-workers are, in turn, trusted by them. Trust, of course, cannot be acquired, but can only be given. Leadership without mutual trust is a contradiction in terms. Trust resides squarely between faith and doubt. The leader always has faith in himself, his abilities, his co-workers, and their mutual possibilities. But he also has sufficient doubt to question, challenge, probe, and thereby progress. In the same way, his co-workers must believe in him, themselves, and their combined strength, but they must feel sufficiently confident to question, challenge, probe, and test, too. Maintaining that vital balance between faith and doubt, preserving that mutual trust, is a primary task for any leader.” (Bennis, 1989, p. 140)
Reference
Bennis, W.G. (1989). On becoming a leader. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.
Leave a Reply