The power of trust is one of the most important aspects of leadership, whether that's in your dental practice or life in general. In the past, being a leader was looked at differently and in a way that represented a higher stature, and often leaders were rarely seen.

These days, however, things have changed, and it is not only important to be present in your practice, but to lead and create trust. Here are a few ways that you can add trust to your leadership development plan.

Trust others

It's not just important that those around you trust you, you have to reciprocate; trust is a two-way street. Once you have developed this type of relationship, then those around you will trust the risks you take in your practice, and you can believe in them to execute your plans, even if they don't quite understand them. It's imperative that you trust others in your dental practice in order for it to grow.

Be virtuous

In business, having positive relationships is crucial. In order to develop these trustworthy relationships, you'll need to practice being a virtuous person. For people to trust you as a leader, you must act on a set of principles that are ethical. Your consistent actions will reflect who you are and build upon the respect that others have for you.

Take risks

Without risks, there would be no reason to trust people. We need trust in our dentistry practice because as we change and adapt to this technological world, we are going to have to take risks and jump on opportunities as they present themselves. We must manage our experience and relationships to the best of our abilities, and that can involve a lot of risk.

Influence others

When you choose to lead with trust in your practice, then you will be able to influence others, and this is important for long-term growth. When you implement certain policies and procedures, you want the transitions to be seamless. Being able to influence with trust will get you better results and allow your employees to follow through without questioning your motives. This will save time and energy for you in the future.

The more trust, the better your results

When your employees trust your leadership, then you will be able to run an efficient and positive dental practice. While many people have given bosses a bad name, you can incorporate trust in the direction you take and break that stigma. You want each person in your office to have certain expectations that they follow. One of the best ways to gain this trust is to lead by example. When you do this in a consistent manner, then employees will follow.

Continue to build

Leading with trust will be an ongoing process. You will need to continually learn about and manage your relationships. The way you communicate with your employees will need to be developed in a way that is productive and easy for both you and them. Consistently work with your team in order to tweak and grow the trust between you.