Excellence to Eminence

Living Our Values

Openness and Trust

At Ohio State, we define Openness and Trust as; “Our communication is direct and honest, we promote authenticity and transparency in our relationships and activities, we’re open to feedback and coaching, and we give feedback with candor and respect.”

An open, trusting environment is the foundation of strong relationships. When a team is confident they have all the information that’s known, and that they have each other’s best intentions in mind, they work together more cohesively and efficiently. When a team works together collectively, they can achieve outstanding results.

Without Openness and Trust, there is often competition, hoarding of information, and duplication of efforts. In this type of environment, it’s difficult – if not impossible – to achieve goals and increase performance. Often, this lack of Openness and Trust can be an unintentional consequence of focusing on “getting the job done.”

These tips can help ensure you’re strengthening Openness and Trust:

• Improve your coaching skills. It can be uncomfortable to seek out and receive coaching and feedback. Practice improves your skills and helps coaching become second nature. Use these tips to practice giving and receiving coaching.
• Seek opportunities to share information. While people may have every intention to keep each other up to date, the business of the day can get in the way. Make a point of setting aside time to keep each other in the loop, whether it’s a meeting, e-mail or phone call. Be sure to ask questions to seek out information, as well as share.
• Improve your listening skills. When you listen for understanding, people feel respected and appreciated. It also ensures you gather all the information that was shared, positioning you for success. Together, this strengthens relationships with others.