Trust is the assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.
It gets developed over time, but it gets developed faster when we see each other in different contexts. Trust happens through being predictable and vulnerable.
Being predictable to others comes from them understanding how we are wired and by them knowing our stories. Our personality profiles show them some of this. When appropriate, giving small snippets of our stories helps them to “get” us.
Being vulnerable is about taking a risk to be real. It is about taking that risk with wisdom and expressing ourselves in a way that demonstrates higher emotional intelligence. It is also about not manipulating or having a hidden agenda. You being willing to just be you - warts and all - goes a long way to being vulnerable.
A lot of the battle in building trust happens just by consistently showing up. This means having integrity, owning our mistakes, and initiating conversations. Being dependable, prompt, and respecting them really helps.
Connecting to others also builds trust. This is especially true when they seem down. Just the fact that you noticed and asked about it often increases trust.
When a team wins together, they start to trust each other even more. Teams that win together understand what makes one another tick, and they feed that to each other.
Being quick to resolve conflict and not let any bitterness build up is invaluable to the trust process. If you can show others that you are fighting for them when there is tension or outright conflict, you can show them that you respect and dignify them as a person.
Asking your leaders/direct reports about what led them to trust others also gives vital clues as to how to build trust with them.
Some signs that show that a leader trusts you include:
They are not micromanaging you
They are giving you more tasks that have impact
They are giving you more information
They’re increasing the amount of challenge in your tasks themselves
Some signs that show that a direct report trusts you include:
They don’t doubt you
They turn to you when they need answers
They’re vulnerable and open with you
They listen to you and respect you
Chew On This:
Think about someone you trust deeply. What helped you build trust with them?
Who on your team do you need to grow trust with?
Ryan C. Bailey & Associates is an organizational effectiveness firm focused on equipping leaders to develop in-demand high-performing teams to increase the health and effectiveness of the greater organization.
*This blog is an amalgamation of a few different clients. No client is being singled out.