Can I trust you?

There's a great quote from Bertrand Russell which feels particularly pertinent in these uncertain times: "The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are so certain of themselves and wiser people are so full of doubts".


The last few weeks have been full of political and social uncertainty. Every day we switch on the news to yet another tragic story of people being killed at the hands of extremists, and regardless of the motivation the outcome is the same - someone's loved one dying before their time. Alongside this we have Brexit in the UK, unseen by most commentators but clearly wanted by the majority of the population who could be bothered to vote. This has created turmoil in our major political parties with a new PM and the meltdown of the main opposing party. In the US there is the unenviable choice of Clinton or Trump, and while any sane person would surely never allow Trump to take office given his extreme views, he clearly resonates with a large number of the voting public. This morning I listened to a piece on the radio stating we have never been so close to the treat of nuclear war, albeit we probably have short memories as I'm pretty sure in the 1970's people had got as far as building shelters in their gardens. Scary times.


So in these uncertain times what we look for is a strong leader, someone we can trust to steer us through these troubled waters... so who can we trust? I was struck as I watched the various political interviews post-Brexit by how much appearance matters in respect of trust. This isn't about do I think you could be a nice person, but do I think you are competent and capable to do the right thing for the country, and can you pull together the competing interests and individuals and make them stand as one when it matters? What fascinated me was (despite my unconscious bias training!) that as I looked at the slickly turned out, suited and booted politicians and my thought was "I don't trust you to be anything other than self serving", and when I looked at the less well presented ones (often women in this case) my fear was they lacked the impact to do the job well.


Of course appearance is no measure of capability but it is stark reminder for me of the immediate impact of first impression and how in this case it goes beyond just an impression of capability or achievement and into trust. While we can redress the balance on the first two areas by listing our credentials, trust feels more instinctive and as such an impression of mistrust is harder to undo. There's good evidence to show that having a trustworthy face is a benefit, you'll do better even if your actions aren't aligned - nature wins again.


Another physical attribute which has been under scrutiny this week is the tone of someone's voice, and again it's a greater challenge for women than men. A high tone conveys less gravitas and is less likely to be heard, which can put women at a disadvantage. That said, accents can also accentuate or disadvantage people - I'm struggling with the new contender for the labour leader contest as his accent and delivery irritate me. I'm not proud of that but it's a fact.


So what does this mean. The world is an uncertain place and we have to look beyond appearances to be clear about who we should place our trust in. While appearance isn't everything, it does count. so if you are looking to get on in the world, you do need to think about the impression you are leaving people with, both in terms of how you look and sound. What you say is only important after all of this. Clothes, accessories, presentation, style are all tools in our armoury - they can help or hinder you in doing your job well. The good news is that as you get older it gets easier - thank goodness as everything heads south!

The economic value of happiness

It's July, the start of our new financial year and the time of year when we reflect on our roles and objectives. Some lucky people will be absolutely clear about their purpose and how they bring value to the workplace. Others, possibly more than we might imagine, will be a little less certain.

One of the areas where I am clear about my purpose and the value I bring is my willingness to have open and honest conversations with people about what they are doing. Not only am I willing to give up the time, but I'm genuinely interested in helping people be their best, whatever that is. Often that starts with a question of "what makes you happy?"

I am an avid believer in the economic value of happiness. I used to think this was me just being a bit soft - wanting the people around me to be happy - but I've come to realise that a happy workforce has a strong commercial value. Happy people are engaged people and engaged people create value. Happy people with a focus on their own wellbeing and that of their colleagues are also more likely to be present with fewer days lost to sick leave be it mental or physical. It makes absolute sense. As ever while the what might be obvious, the how can be more difficult. How do you create a happy workforce?

One study in the US reinforced the importance of a positive mindset (so true - glass half full approach) and providing an environment where people can do their best by:

• Giving staff the ability to make decisions
• Sharing information
• Minimising stress and poor behaviours
• Offering performance feedback.

Easy huh?!? In my world, we require our senior people to be self starters. Past a certain grade you have a significant amount of autonomy in what you do day to day, often more than people realise. This means very little is set in stone (as long as you deliver on a set of core metrics) but it also means you have to decide what you will focus on. Making a basic assumption of 'do what makes you happy' is a good starting point, assuming that's something we can monetise of course!

The other question I explore is "what does success look like for you?". The basic premise that 'more is better' is changing. Global warming, disruptive technology, consumption taxes, the sharing economy - these mega trends are changing the way that new generations are valuing success. Having it all might mean something very different to my children and so defining what matters is vital if you are going to be confident and happy.

For me, I'm learning to be comfortable with the value I bring in the workplace. If I can help others to get to that point by sharing my experience and my time, that's going to bring its own reward.