Name: Garrett Trott

Title: University Librarian

Organisation: Corban University

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

We’ve gone through the interviews and asked the best of the best to come back and answer 7 MORE Questions on Leadership.

I hope Garrett's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. As a leader, how do you build trust with employees, customers and other stakeholders?

The answer to this question varies because the "starting point" for each of these is quite distinct. For an employee/stakeholder, I think an initial level of trust is critical. This is one of the reasons why many organizations have a robust hiring process - it is just as important for the organization to confirm they have an individual aligning with the organization's mission/vision as it is to hire someone with an appropriate skill set.

Ensuring that the fellow employees/stakeholders can embrace the mission/vision of an organization should accompany a fairly high level of initial trust. I argue that there is an issue if this is lacking in hiring protocol. Building trust with customers is fairly straightforward (but intensely difficult): do what you say you will do for the price you said you would do it when you said you would do it - and do it with excellence.

2. What do 'VISION' and 'MISSION' mean to you? And what does it actually look like to use them in real-world business?

Vision is where you want to be; mission is how you will get there. There needs to be a clear relationship between them. If a clear relationship is lacking, either the mission will be compromised or the vision will never be attained.

3. How can a leader empower the people they're leading?

Humility. It sounds simple, but when it is put into action, such as refusing to take credit for the work of your department but acknowledging that the job was done with many hands, each of which played a critical role, and apart from which this could not have happened. To work, humility cannot be seen as just another leadership trait but must be integrated into every facet of their leadership.

4. Who are some of the coaches or mentors in your life who have had a positive influence on your leadership? Can you please tell a meaningful story about one of them?

I had the privilege of having about a dozen men who invested in me between the ages of 15-25. Some of this resulted from my intentional pursuit, and others were God's blessing. When I was in my late teens, an older man in our church approached me and said, "The Lord Jesus has laid it upon his heart to pray for me daily." He then shared with me that there were four other young men whom the Lord had laid on his heart to pray for daily.

This touched my heart and encouraged me. I intentionally reached out to this man a few years later, and I was incredibly blessed by this man (he was an older man in his early 80s). Before he passed, I worked a graveyard shift and got off work around 4 AM.

One morning a week, he led a Bible study and would get to the restaurant's parking lot, where they met around 4:30 AM to prep for Bible study and pray. I regularly met with him on these mornings for about two years. They were brief times (30-45 minutes), but what I learned about life from him was intense. I am privileged to see the fruition of this man's impact on my life to this day.

5. Leadership is often more about what you DON'T do. How do you maintain focus in your role?

I aim to implement a sabbath (rest) in my work cycle. I think this helps me focus.

6. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Everyone plans differently. How do you plan for the week, month and years ahead in your role?

I prioritize tasks and allocate my time to confirm that the critical tasks get done and others fall in place as time permits.

7. What advice would you give to a young leader who is struggling to delegate effectively?

Ask yourself why you are not delegating.

Is it a lack of trust in others? Is it "easier" to simply do it yourself? Is it a fear of failure? If you are not willing to either fail yourself or let someone else fail, you cannot lead. Learn to fail well and create a culture where failure becomes a critical learning tool.