If there’s one thing that 2020 taught us, it’s the importance of trust. As many companies directed their staff to work from home, we had to believe that team members had the integrity and discipline to keep projects rolling to meet short and long term plans. With supply chains affected, we also had to trust that our suppliers would meet obligations, even if delays were experienced. For most companies, during a time of great adversity, trust worked. Employees and contractors were agile to meet shifting needs, and companies worked together in new ways for mutual benefit. Now, as we start 2021, it’s vital that we maintain relationships strengthened with employees, contractors, suppliers and customers. And it’s essential that we remember and build on these lessons of trust. Trust only comes with strong leadership – as we now know, it’s not about demonstrating your power, positioning yourself as the person in charge, and making all the decisions. Trust comes down to soft skills and they need to be constantly developed. Five Steps to Build Trust: Provide your staff and contractors with feedback that’s positive, constructive and timely – too much and they won’t take you seriously, too little and they won’t know what you’re thinking, In life and in business, walk your talk to ensure your actions demonstrate your authentic intent, Teach, train and guide your staff then be prepared for mistakes within the controlled environment you have created – through mistakes, rather than micro-managing, lessons will be learnt, Be accountable when things go wrong, by stepping back to reflect on how it happened and what can be changed, then take steps to ensure those mistakes don’t happen again, and Provide access and ensure your staff, suppliers and customers are comfortable to provide feedback on you, your performance and your business. Time to Start Preparing for the year ahead Managing your staff and contractors, keeping on top of your business, and strengthening relationships with suppliers and customers is time consuming. The Ayers Group can help smooth the way. We have experts on hand to assist you with preparing contracts, managing your payroll and your administrative responsibilities so you can concentrate on meeting your clients’ needs and growing your wealth. Contact an expert at the Ayers Group today.