3M’s Jayshree Seth: You can build trust with employees if you “Cultivate the ‘Can do!’ Counsel the ‘Can I do?’ and Coach, ‘Be candid’

I’ve seen stats that say 50% of employees quit their jobs citing dissatisfaction with their managers! I often talk about the three main elements, apart from the functional management of roles, responsibilities and results, that my managers did to foster a trusting relationship that helped me thrive.

When I was in a ‘Can do’ mode — motivated and passionate about something, taking initiative and pursuing an idea — my managers didn’t try to talk me out of it. Taking initiative should be encouraged because it not only builds self-confidence and enriches experience-set for effectiveness, but it builds engagement and can lead to tremendous growth for the company.

When I was in a ‘Can I do?’ mode — more tentative about an assignment or opportunity that had come my way — my managers listened to me, acknowledged my feelings and opinions and helped me work through it. The ‘Confidence Gap’ between men and women has now been well-documented. Again, company culture plays a critical role in this and I benefited from managers who valued diversity and placed trust in my capabilities.

Lastly, when I had ‘Candid’ feedback coming my way, my managers were honest and coached me on how to manage my weaknesses and continue to build upon my strengths. Their feedback wasn’t sugar-coated, but was handled in a positive way that…