“Trustworthiness is the most noble and powerful of all the attributes of leadership,” says John Hamm, author of the October PM cover story “Trustworthy Leaders.” At a time when both residents and employees are calling out for leadership, establishing trust--and with that respect--will help leaders gain credibility and as Hamm says, improve performance and the sustainability of an organization.

Here are the specific things a manager can do to provide trust-building leadership:

• Realize that being trustworthy doesn’t mean you have to be a Boy Scout or Girl Scout.
• Look for chances to reveal some vulnerability.
• No matter how tempted you are, don’t mess with your employees.
• Never, ever make the “adulterer’s guarantee.”
• Don’t punish “good failures.”
• Don’t squelch the flow of bad news.
• Constantly tap into your fairness conscience.
• Don’t take shortcuts.
• Separate the bad apples from the apples that just need a little direction.

For more details on each of these points, read the October cover story.