How to Develop Trust for Authentic Recognition

How do you really create authentic, or “real”, recognition?

Managers and employees alike are always concerned with what “others” are thinking when they attempt to give positive feedback to a fellow worker.

The secret behind giving Authentic Recognition is building trust first. That way the giving of recognition is always perceived and received correctly as it was intended. How can you do that? You ask.

Developing trust can be represented formulaically using the following attributes with their associated behaviors as:

Consistency > Credibility > Trust > Relationships = Authentic Recognition

Let’s look at each of these attributes.

1. Consistency

You need to prove to people you mean what you say and you do what you say you will do. This act of being consistent will naturally require the following types of behaviours:

Here’s Consistency’s Behaviours
You prioritize relationships ahead of tasks (Smartphone, Outlook, planner; Post-It Note(R), any reminder tools); You demonstrate self-discipline and self-management; You prove yourself in speaking, writing and actions of respect and recognition; You are values driven;

2. Credibility

By being consistent in your actions and your words to people you work and live with, displays a level of credibility in everyone’s eyes. It means you can be counted upon. To develop greater credibility means you will need to be living the following behaviours:

Some of Credibility’s Actions Purpose driven; principle based; respect and common courtesy; valuing people for who they are and what they do; being transparent; being available; simply appreciative; calculated risk-taker;

3. Trust

Notice the attribute of trust doesn’t happen by saying you are trustworthy. It is proven over the test of time whenever you demonstrate consistent actions validating yourself to be a credible person. Only then are you likely to be considered a strong candidate of someone who can be trusted. Further characteristics necessary for being trust-worthy may include:

Trust’s Behavioural Characteristics
Confident; caring; right intentions; ethical decisions; admitting when wrong; immediate corrections or restitution of wrongs; logical and emotional; right results; right reasons; belief in others and self;

4. Relationship

All of these attributes and behaviours lead to the formation of positive relationships with those around us – those at work as well as at home. We display all of the above behaviours and many others, as well as these relationship focused skills:

Check Out These Relationship Behaviours
People focused; caring; concern; authentic; listening; action oriented; sincere and specific; kind acts; genuine positive feedback; encouraging; affirming; meaningful giving.

In summary then, through your consistent actions you will prove credible to those around you so they will trust you. That kind of trust generates positive relationships that makes for well intended and correctly give real recognition – even Authentic Recognition.

These four attributes and their correlating behaviours are foundational qualities and skills needed to give authentic recognition that will always be positively felt.

Q: How do you strive to always give people authentic recognition?

Roy is no longer writing new content for this site (he has retired!), but you can subscribe to Engage2Excel’s blog as Engage2Excel will be taking Roy’s place writing about similar topics on employee recognition and retention, leadership and strategy.