The Power of Trust in Problem Solving
Recently we advised a client on how to approach a conversation with a partner that needed to address a serious shortcoming in their work together. While it was a seemingly difficult conversation, both teams handled it extraordinarily well, and the interaction highlighted the importance of candor in business. So, we wanted to share some ideas on how to build a trusting and transparent relationship with your clients and partners.
Right off the bat, one thing that made this interaction successful was that our clients set the tone of the interaction as solution oriented. One way to quickly kill trust is to place blame - as soon as fingers are pointed, people get defensive and divided. We advised our clients to be open, real, and straight to the point about what wasn’t working for them. The conversation that followed was more productive because it set the stage to get down to what is real, what is true, and what action steps are needed to fix the situation.
Trust is built on consistency, contribution, and communication. Partners and clients look for us to show up with steady energy, a commitment to doing great work with them, and with a positive, informed, and proactive line of communication open. When these things are in place, we create the best environment for collaboration. When there is trust, it’s ok to be wrong, it’s ok to fail, and it’s ok to backtrack. What matters is that your partners and clients know you have their back, no matter what comes up. You’ll work with them to figure it out.
As leaders, we need to choose our partnerships (and clients) carefully. An easy way to get into trouble is to enter into an engagement where the partner is taking more than they give - a successful relationship is equal parts. If your partners aren’t rising to meet your level, consider that they are not aligned with where you are going. That is not to say difficult situations should never arise, in fact they surely will no matter who you are working with, but working with those who are solving problems and learning from them is the surest way to growth and success.
Get with your people. Calibrate towards always looking for a solution. Communicate that to your partners and align with them on it. Build trust with consistency, contribution, and communication. Choose your partners wisely and hold each other to a high standard. Watch as you create amazing things together.