CHAPTER 2

Leadership and Trust

Leaders create relationships with others based upon a foundation of mutual trust and respect. Trust has frequently been described as the “glue” that holds organizations together. The purpose of this chapter is to explain the nature of trust and how leaders earn the trust of others. Understanding trust, trustworthiness, and the importance of high trust and high performance work systems can enable leaders to create more successful relationships and more effective organizations.

High trust in relationships reduces the likelihood of poor performance and the need to constantly monitor others.1 When trust is low, people withhold commitment and engage in self-protective behaviors that impede the achievement of organizational ...

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