Train Leaders to Adopt an Informed Trust
Approach to Drive Employee Engagement and
Business Results
Factor in employee capabilities, outcome risk, and expectations to mitigate the risk inherent
in trust.
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Our understanding of the problem
This Research is
Is Designed For:
This Research Will Help You:
CHROs, VPs of HR, or heads of HR who are
looking to:
• Articulate why trust matters and the “domino
• Build or repair trust in their organizations.
• Create a solid foundation for employee
empowerment efforts.
• “Move the dial” on employee engagement.
effect” connection between leaders giving trust
and driving improved business results.
• Manage and mitigate the risk inherent in trust
by applying the McLean Informed Trust Model;
understanding employee capabilities, outcome
risk, and expectations related to trust giving.
This Research Will Also
Assist:
Assist:
This Research Will Help You:
Them:
Learning & Development Lead
• Train leaders to apply informed trust in your
organization.
• Customize training materials and prepare to
implement the training.
• Set baseline metrics and evaluate training
success and impact.
• Provide post-training materials and support.
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Executive Summary
Situation
!
Employee engagement efforts have stagnated over the past ten years –
and annual surveys and action planning have failed to “move the needle.”
During roughly the same period of time, trust in leadership has faltered;
primarily driven by widespread downsizing and public corruption scandals.
Complication
McLean & Co. Insight
• Trust is a willingness to give up control,
due to a belief in the creation of a
particular outcome, with consideration
given to risk. This requires moving from
paternalism to partnership.
?
Trust drives engagement through employee empowerment. However,
leaders are sometimes reluctant to give trust to employees; in some
cases because they believe it is too risky – in other cases because they are
loathe to give up control.
• Putting trust into action requires an
informed approach to assessment,
behavior, and verification.

Resolution
Training on informed trust will help leaders accurately assess the trust environment and apply appropriate verification
techniques. Training components include:
• Why trust matters and the potential to impact business results.
• A comprehensive overview of each component of the informed trust model: Assess, Give, and Verify.
o Assess – how to select an appropriate trust profile.
o Give – how to show trust through five key behaviors.
o Verify – how to use the trust profile to select appropriate verification methods.
• Practical application of the informed trust model to increase employee empowerment.
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McLean & Company offers various levels of support to best
suit your needs
DIY Toolkit
“Our team has already
made this critical
project a priority, and
we have the time and
capability, but some
guidance along the
way would be helpful.”
Guided
Implementation
Workshop
Consulting
“Our team knows that
we need to fix a
process, but we need
assistance to
determine where to
focus. Some check-ins
along the way would
help keep us on track.”
“We need to hit the
ground running and
get this project kicked
off immediately. Our
team has the ability to
take this over once we
get a framework and
strategy in place.”
“Our team does not
have the time or the
knowledge to take this
project on. We need
assistance through the
entirety of this project.”
Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options
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Use McLean & Company Manager Training blueprints to
deliver high-impact training
This blueprint consists of eight separate downloads: a storyboard, a
customizable training deck, and tools & templates.
 Helps you gain stakeholder buy-in.
Storyboard
YOU
 Gives you a high-level understanding of the training deck.
 Includes tools to prepare for training and stakeholder buy-in.
ARE
HERE
 Includes tools to measure and evaluate training.
 Deliverable in a one-day training session.
Training
Deck
Tools &
Templates
 Pre-filled with content and activities.
 Customizable to time constraints, legislative requirements, and
organization-specific topics.
 Help organize logistics and budget.
 Assess behavioral change.
 Help gain stakeholder buy-in.
 Evaluate business impact.
 Evaluate training delivery.
 Evaluate participant learning.
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Sample
Slides
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Trust in leaders drives employee engagement through
employee empowerment
Trust
Empowerment
Engagement
Business Results
76.9%
88.0%
91.8%
High Empowerment
39.8%
56.0%
Moderate Empowerment
68.0%
13.6%
22.6%
Low Empowerment
33.1%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
*See
Appendix for
calculation
details.
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
Respondents with high
empowerment were
almost 6x more likely
to have high trust in
their executive leaders,
4x more likely to have
high trust in their
department heads, and
3x more likely to have
high trust in their
manager.
% of respondents
Source: McLean & Company 2015; N=16,034
High Trust in Executive Management
High Trust in Department Head
High Trust in Manager
McLean & Company Insight
The biggest challenge for leaders with informed trust is the freedom employees require to navigate the uncertainty they will
experience. Clearly communicate the processes in place to monitor progress, support autonomy, and increase tolerance for
mistakes as an opportunity to learn.
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Review the Informed Trust Model – the leader training deck
follows its structure
Trust giving is not about abdicating responsibility. Train managers on the
Informed Trust Model to aid them in understanding capabilities, risk, and
expectations related to trust giving.
Step 1
Assess
employee
capability and
outcome risk to
select a Trust
Profile.
Assess
Informed
Trust
Step 3
Use
Verification
Methods to
confirm
performance.
Verify
Give
Empowerment
Step 2
Give trust
through Five
Key Trust
Builder
Behaviors.
Next we will look at each training step in turn.
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apply HR best practices
Maintain a progressive set of
HR policies & procedures
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impact of HR
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"Now, more than ever, HR leaders need to help their organizations maximize the
value of their people. McLean & Company offers the tools, diagnostics and
programs to drive measurable results."
•
– Jennifer Rozon, Vice President, McLean & Company
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