Originally found at Fast Company

Today, true leadership is harder, but more important than ever. In a world that is increasingly volatile, complex and ambiguous, leaders are integral to creating the conditions in which workers can thrive and organizations can generate great results.

Trust is key to this process. When people trust their leaders, they’re more likely to give their best effort, contribute to a positive culture, and stay with an organization.

Fortunately, leaders can create trust in surprisingly straightforward ways. Here’s why trust is so important, and how to generate trust within your own team.

WHY TRUST MATTERS

While the importance of trust may seem self-evident, it’s fascinating to consider its impact based on research. This research clearly communicates the big potential rewards leaders can gain by making the effort to enhance trust.

...An additional way leaders generate trust is by being consistent. Of course, leaders must adapt to the shifting demands of the market, customers, or the organization—as well as to the diverse needs of team members—but even with appropriate adjustments, people want to work with leaders who are predictable. Especially in terms of their values, their motivations ,and their character. Evidence for this can be found in compelling research published by the Academy of Management Journal.

Continue reading the original article at Fast Company.

Read the original research in Academy of Management Journal.

Learn more about the AOM Scholars and explore their work:

• Fadel K. Matta, University of Georgia
• Brent A. Scott, Michigan State University
• Jason A. Colquitt, University of Georgia
• Joel Koopman, Texas A&M University