“Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people.” Steve Jobs
A team without trust is a group of individuals playing at it. You can’t build a robust team unless they trust you and you trust them. Notice the order we put that in? The onus is on the leader or to show trust in people from the start so it will be reciprocated. Action precedes motivation. If you show you believe in people to perform their job they will be motivated to do so.
This is the start of the virtuous circle of trust: you trust your employees and they feel empowered to deliver and want to do good work. Acting with the belief your staff can deliver according to your expectations, will encourage their best efforts and build their trust in you. The same goes for interactions between colleagues
ACCEPT CONSTRUCTIVE DISAGREEMENT
This is one that sounds easy to do but too often pride gets in the way. When differences arise, don’t automatically get defensive. Use it as an opportunity to explore the issue and find new ways to solve a problem. If people feel they’re in an atmosphere where they’re free to disagree, they’ll trust more. Healthy disagreement and problem-solving tend to lead to better business decisions and outcomes.
DISCOURAGE CLIQUES
While it’s natural for bonds to form between some team members, there can be unintended consequences where others feel isolated. This can affect trust. It’s even worse if the manager or team leader is seen to be part of the clique. Acting professionally means acting in everyone’s interest at work. If you choose to socialise with team members outside work, then remember to be discreet and manage your personal and professional boundaries.
DEMONSTRATE EMPATHY
Once called soft skills, qualities like empathy, respect and sensitivity are key skills for today’s managers and for some people they’re not easy to master. Trust evolves when people believe that you’re someone capable of understanding and relating to them. If you’re not naturally an active listener, then learn those skills. In active listening the goal is to show your team or a colleague that you and they have a shared understanding. Body language, such a nodding your head or saying, “Yes I see your point of view,” indicates that you are paying attention. Reframing or recasting things you have heard also demonstrates you’re listening.
COMMUNICATION REGULARLY
How do you expect to be regarded as a leader if you’re not heard from until appraisal day? Demonstrate open communication on a regular basis, whether that be in person or via technology. Hold team meetings, and have casual and scheduled one-on-ones to check in with your team. Encourage people to talk not just as colleagues but as people with something important to contribute. You might begin by sharing a story of your own. Any vulnerability and humility you show, will encourage others to be open and more honest about their feelings and motivations.
TRUST – HOW TO BREAK IT DOWN
B – Boundaries, R – Reliable, A – Accountable, V – Vault, I – Integrity, N – Non-judgemental, G – Generous
Brené Brown has identified seven key elements she believes are necessary and integral to all trust relationships. ‘Vault’ refers to not sharing information or experiences that are not yours to share. When people entrust you with confidence, don’t breach them. If this model is too multi-dimensional or vague consider the following formula.
A USEFUL AND PROVEN FORMULA FOR BUILDING TRUST
Trust can also be more objectively described as a simple formula. It has many similarities to Brené’s elements outlined above. It is one of the more interesting models that we use frequently when coaching employees who want to understand specifically what drives trust and what can focus on to build trust, or, as importantly, avoid eroding or destroying trust.
The model may look daunting at first but it is reassuringly simple. Think of trust as a function of a balancing of credibility, reliability, and intimacy (or relational connectedness), along with the all-important perception of self-interest. Represented as a formula, it looks like this. It is an adaptation of Jim Cathcart’s Trust Value Tension model.
T – Trust
C – Credibility
R – Reliability
I – Intimacy
SI – Self Interest
What it is saying is that increasing anything on the numerator: Credibility – C in the formula (you have some basis of authority or expertise), Reliability – R in the formula (you do what you say you are going to do or live up to what you stand for), Intimacy – I in the formula (you are relationally authentic and warm toward others). Any increase in any of these three elements tends to fuel an upward spiral in trust. However, this can all be undone or countered by perceived high Self-Interest (SI in the formula) on the denominator. So, self-interest discounts trust significantly.
For example, a car salesperson who is warm and charming may well be credible (they know stuff about cars), reliable (they won best salesperson of the year two years running) and intimate or warm (yep, in spades), but, because they are perceived to have high self-interest in selling you a car (they get paid by commission), you are likely to discount your trust in them significantly, and possibly even find them disingenuous or off-putting.
By contrast, if a fellow shopper in the same show room with you raves about the car you are looking at, they are likely to have low perceived self-interest and engender more trust with you. This is particularly the case if what they are telling you seems credible, speaks to how the car has exceeded their expectations and they are pleasant about it all which ticks off the C, R and I elements in the model.
This formula holds true in most interpersonal and team dynamics and can help managers or employees identify which of the key drivers of trust are going wrong and where to intervene.
FINALLY, USE THOSE TWO WORDS
You don’t need elaborate superlatives to praise people. Saying ‘well done’, ‘good job’ or ‘thank you’ on a regular basis has far more clout in building trust than calling infrequent meetings with bells and whistles. Remember that trust is developed in direct proportion to mutual investment in your relationship. There’s no fast track to building trust, however losing it can happen in a single moment.
Converge can help you with any of your work challenges. You might have access to free coaching and counselling through your employer.
To access Converge services, simply call 1300 OUR EAP (1300 687 327) to make a time to speak with one of our team or book online or in the Converge App (available on Android or iOS).
