Trust is at the heart of all healthy relationships. At its root, trust is one party’s willingness to be susceptible to the acts of another. It is an expectation that two parties will act in a mutually beneficial manner. Because of these factors, trust is an essential component of efficient communication, teamwork, employee dedication, and productivity. It leads to better working relationships and a more positive organizational culture.
Because trusting relationships are inherently vulnerable, it is accepted widely that trust must be earned. It is true whether the conflict is between two coworkers, a manager, and an employee, or an employee and the organization as a whole. It can be challenging to create and maintain trust in some cases because individuals may be unaware of the accidental ways in which they have damaged trust with their coworkers.
Trust makes difficult talks easier, teams more integrated, and people more engaged. Exploring strategies to build trust can help individuals and businesses build greater relationships and healthier communities.
Golden rules to build trust culture
Trust is valuable. Nonetheless, it includes some fundamental principles that leaders must adhere to.
Trust is not a decision but a process:
It will take some time to transition to a trust-based culture. There is no such thing as “instant trust,” and the worst thing leaders can do is declare that they would no longer supervise anyone starting tomorrow.
Without a doubt, this mentality will result in vexing micromanagement that questions employees’ every move and focuses on what’s wrong. Allow yourself time and don’t throw yourself into deep water; otherwise, the tension will make you more controlling than before. There is no need to hurry and take one step at a time.
Build trust by observing employees’ past performance:
Your belief in your employee’s performance should be founded on evidence. Managers can learn about their employees’ intrinsic motivation by observing a person’s historical performance. Then, supervisors can use that knowledge to collaborate with each team member as individuals discover their new, most effective means of increasing productivity.” This method allows you to understand your team better and, as a result, trust each person.
Trust works both ways:
“Leaders who have the trust of their people are more likely to create change that benefits organizational performance,” according to The Center for Leadership Studies. Start by demonstrating that your staff can trust you if you want to develop a trust culture in your firm.
Consider the following:
Being genuine and trustworthy.
Being as honest as possible for your team and stakeholders is critical, especially now. Everyone wants to know what is going on in the firm and how changes will affect them. It’s not easy to deliver bad news, but taking shortcuts won’t help.
Be attentive and encouraging.
According to The Center for Leadership Studies, “when people feel heard, they feel valued.” Leaders must take the time to listen to their staff and evaluate their thoughts actively.”
Remember the concept of equality.
Everyone on the team should be treated equally. They will feel rejected otherwise. There are no justifications for breaching this rule.
Always keep your word.
Make no hollow promises. Never! Employees will get aware and cease to believe you.
Three tips to re-build trust:
When a mistake or treachery occurs, relationships can suffer, employees might become disengaged, and the corporate culture can suffer. For these reasons, it is critical to explore how to rebuild trust after it has been broken.
Recognize what occurred.
Recognizing what happened is the first step toward re-establishing confidence. Rather than ignoring a betrayal, discussing it openly might help both parties move on. Making apologies or apologizing for shows the other party that you have accepted responsibility and wish to move on.
Take small steps.
It is crucial to take action to rebuild trust. Following through on agreements, communicating responsibly, and being respectful are all activities you may take to establish trust. However, once trust has been eroded, you must search for opportunities to act, no matter how little they appear. These tiny steps will add up over time to make a big difference.
Please be patient.
Rebuilding a relationship might take time. Being patient and allowing it to flourish through time is an essential thing you can do. The process cannot be rushed to be completed effectively.
Takeaway:
We know that trust fosters deeper intimacy, better connections, and a more positive corporate culture. Trust and psychological safety allow people to take chances, embrace change, and perform to their full potential. Trust can help people develop trust in one another and in the organization.
Trust can take a long time to build and is readily eroded. Whether you are developing it for the first time early in a professional relationship or re-building it after it has been lost- always taking proactive measures to build the relationship and then continuing to nurture it through time is the best thing you can do.
