THREE PRACTICAL WAYS TO BUILD (AND REPAIR) TRUST AT WORK
Trust is the foundation of effective teams. This is not a new idea and is certainly becoming more widely accepted and integrated in the world of work. But even with wide acceptance, trust is something many teams struggle with. And it’s not for lack of trying. With some obvious exceptions, it’s probably safe to say that most people are trying to behave in trustworthy ways. And yet, trust in teams is inconsistent across industries and organizations.
Trust can be broken in big and obvious moments, but that’s probably not the biggest factor in why trust is elusive. Trust is built and broken in small moments that happen in the flow of work, moments that almost go unnoticed. Things like promising to call someone before the end of the day and not calling until the next morning, rescheduling a standing meeting with no explanation, checking your phone when someone is speaking, and so on. None of these things on their own would necessarily destroy trust. However, when they show up as a pattern of behaviour, they can erode trust over time.
And fair enough. We all have boundaries and when they are crossed, we can feel hurt, frustrated, or disappointed. When they are crossed over and over again, it might feel like this person is out to get us. Or at the very least, they just don’t give a shit. But a more likely explanation is that they are not aware of their impact. It’s not easy to talk about the specific behaviours that build or erode our trust. It might feel awkward, vulnerable, and even intimidating to bring it up. But when we put off saying something, it’s not likely that the behaviour is going to change. And we might eventually have to say something but, the longer we wait, our chances of having a productive conversation get lower.
It doesn’t have to be this way! If you want to foster more consistent trust with the people you work with, here are a couple of steps you can take:
Get to know your trust values. These are not as universal as you might think. What one person sees as a significant breach of trust; another may not. The better you know your own values and what builds or breaks your trust, the clearer you will be able to communicate that to others.
Have conversations about trust early & often. Find opportunities to talk about trust values before there is an issue. It doesn’t guarantee perfection, but a shared understanding makes it so much easier to raise issues early rather than waiting for a pattern to emerge. It might feel awkward at first but if you practice in the small moments, it will increase your confidence and ability in the bigger moments.
Take responsibility for your part. Some of us don’t have the luxury of going back in time to have early conversations about trust. Sometimes trust is critically low, and it might seem like the only way forward is to give up. Even though it is more challenging to navigate, trust repair is possible if you’re open to it. And in these cases, responsibility rarely rests solely on one person. If you can approach the conversation with some honest humility, the other person may be much more willing to acknowledge their part and work alongside you to repair what is damaged.
Trust isn’t built through big moments and conversations; it’s built through the accumulation of small choices over time. When we pay attention to those moments, say what matters earlier, and take responsibility for our impact, trust becomes easier to repair when it cracks. And that ongoing commitment to curiosity and accountability is often what allows teams to move from guarded to genuinely collaborative.
Miranda Donald, Leadership Coach and Facilitator at LeedHR