It’s not easy to trust your employees—and gain their trust. But trust is achievable—and worth it. Let’s examine a few practical ways to build trust at work.
Learn what trustworthiness means to your employees. What establishes and strengthens trust with one employee may be different than what builds trust with another. Gaining the trust of someone who’s had their trust in others betrayed will be more difficult than gaining the trust of someone who’s not experienced such devastating betrayals. It’s vital to understand these differences.
Build relationships on authenticity, logic and empathy. Executive coach Sarah Noll Wilson recommends a framework called the “Trust Triangle.” We build high-trust relationships at work by being authentic about our values and impact, logical in how we’ve come to our conclusions, and empathetic in all our interactions.
Give employees your time and attention. Respect brings people together. It empowers people to trust.
Acknowledge people’s emotions. Researchers find that acknowledging negative emotions boosts trust even more; it takes more effort on the manager’s part.
Act with transparency, clarity and consistency. We trust others when we believe that they are worthy of that trust—when we believe that they are honest, good, reliable, faithful, compassionate and fair. So keep your promises and be transparent about your decisions.
Believe in your people. This can be challenging because we’re often inclined, and not unreasonably, to perceive employees as costs, risks and liabilities. But they’re also any company’s greatest asset. If we treat employees only as a danger, we tell them loud and clear that we don’t trust them.
Instead, find strength in vulnerability. Acknowledge the rights of your employees and your responsibilities to them. (The employee handbook is a convenient place to do this, but your overall attitude matters, too.) Invest in their growth and success. Celebrate their wins. Trust enables people to work together.
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