Trust-culture leadership in local public administrators’ work

Abstract

Purpose Trust and culture are common themes in leadership literature and research. The purpose of this paper is it to describe an emergent model of trust-culture leadership from the comments of local government managers in the USA. The environment of local government requires a level of trust between government and citizens. Comments from local government managers suggest trust is also a component of leading public organizations. The elements of the model culled from practical insights serve to both verify and elucidate much of what is found in leadership theory in a local government context. Design/methodology/approach This research is based on qualitative interviews of practicing local government managers coupled with an analysis of essays on leadership also written by local government managers. Findings The research indicates eight elements of a model divided into three categories (descriptions of leadership in practice, tools and behaviors, and approaches to followers) that help to both describe and perhaps prescribe the work of trust-culture leadership in a local government context. Originality/value While some of what is summarized below is found in leadership literature already, the fact that these elements of leadership are intuitive to local government managers and internalized in their practice is significant. Linking both trust and culture in leadership literature is limited, and linking them both to the practical insights of public managers is even more unique. The findings verify that public leaders at the local level actually engage in leadership of a particular sort, that of trust-culture leadership. It highlights the priority of trust in local government administration. The elements of the model serve to offer public managers specific things to focus on to promote trust-culture leadership and suggest to public leadership scholars specific avenues for further investigation.

Identification of drivers of employee engagement in Indian power companies

“…Trust-culture refers to a more extensive concept than trust (Fairholm et al , 2018). Trust-culture comprises trust (hope of good faith and kindness), self-assurance (assurance of competence), expectation (act in good faith from the other party), integrity, unfailing reputation, societal trust (contribution to society), restorative trust (compassion and tolerance) in specific context (Schnackenberg and Tomlinson, 2016; Antonakis and Day, 2017).…”

“…Trust-culture comprises trust (hope of good faith and kindness), self-assurance (assurance of competence), expectation (act in good faith from the other party), integrity, unfailing reputation, societal trust (contribution to society), restorative trust (compassion and tolerance) in specific context (Schnackenberg and Tomlinson, 2016; Antonakis and Day, 2017). Organizational hierarchy, association between individuals and language are the basis of trust-culture (Fairholm et al , 2018). These factors constitute major influence on the understanding, management and assessment of trust-culture (Oskarsson et al , 2009; Xiong et al , 2016).…”

“…Moreover organizational culture has two attributes, it is very difficult to modify the existing organizational culture, and it has influences on beliefs and activities of the employees (ibid). Organizational culture also acts as an instrument of handling challenges by a group which has common assumptions (Fairholm et al , 2018). Various factors that affect organizational culture are principles, customs, faiths, practices, legends, tales, physical evidences (Ledbetter et al , 2016).…”

Concrescent conversation environment, psychological safety, and team effectiveness

“…Second, to build trust and share personal information is important. Trust emerges from personal sharing, which is considered an important element in organizational culture (Fairholm et al , 2018). The third and fourth aspects relate to how frequently useful information is shared.…”

An exploration into the problematic public policies and the leadership challenge for socio-economic transformation in South Africa

“…Her study reveals that organisational structuring and institutional capacity development are important for generating the much needed institutional trust to facilitate workforce management. More recently, Fairholm et al ’s (2018) talk of trust–culture leadership in local government as an emerging model of leadership in which trust is a major component especially in public organisations, while Höglund et al ’s (2018) study on the impact of types of trust in the public sector assumes that trust is a complex, multidimensional and dynamic concept that must be discussed and analysed at its various levels of understanding including the cognitive, affective, contractual, competence and goodwill to make the collaboration between a public organisation and its board work as intended. These initiatives can be achieved if the mind sets, character traits and dispositions considered key foundations of ethical relationships that would implicitly encompass moral duties owed to others (Hursthouse, 2007) are developed and duly established.…”