According to a recent Harvard Business Review research, three important variables generate leadership trust: consistency, good judgment, and great connections.
In such a fast-paced and interconnected world of business that we are facing now, trust stands as the bedrock upon which fruitful relationships and successful collaborations are built. From fostering loyal customer bases to nurturing a cohesive and motivated workforce, trust is a currency that holds immeasurable value.
However, trust is not something that magically materializes; it is a delicate and intentional process that requires thoughtful effort and commitment for it to sustain in the long term.
Therefore, as a manager, you want to build trust with your employees and new hires as quickly as possible in order to lay the groundwork for a healthy and productive working relationship.
Read on below to find out the 10 ways to achieve this!
What's in this post:
What is trust management?
Trust management refers to the process of establishing, building, and maintaining trust in relationships, whether between individuals, organizations, or entities. It is a fundamental aspect of both personal and professional interactions and plays a crucial role in contexts including business, leadership, team dynamics, customer relations, and personal relationships.
Trust management is also important for succession planning. Leaders who trust their potential successors have faith in their abilities, which promotes open communication and knowledge exchange. Trust decreases the resistance to change, encourages long-term commitment, and makes mentorship and coaching relationships possible.
Creating a trusting culture improves the organization by instilling a sense of belonging and empowerment in prospective successors. Trust is critical in nurturing and training the next generation of leaders for a seamless transition into leadership positions.
The key elements of trust management
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Keeping your promises (being trustworthy and consistent)
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Being accessible and nice (people like leaders)
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promoting honesty, empathy, and compassion
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Supporting your employees even when they make errors (and confessing your own)
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Balancing the drive for results with consideration for others' sentiments
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Working hard to win people over by respecting their thoughts and viewpoints
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Ensure that your words and actions are consistent. Not part of the time, but all of the time
Why is trust management important in the workplace?
A study by Harvard Business Review proves to us why trust management is important in the workplace with the following statistics:
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74% of employees experience less stress when working in a high-trust company.
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106% of employees reported having more energy and motivation to work closely with their team and managers, and a 50% boost in productivity.
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76% reported more engagement.
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13% fewer sick days were noted.
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29% increase in overall life satisfaction.
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40% less burnout was reported compared to those at low-trust companies.
Impressive, right? These statistics underscore the profound impact trust has on employee well-being and overall organizational success. Moreover, trust management is important in the workplace due to its significant impact on employee engagement, productivity, and overall company success. Here are several reasons why trust management is crucial for managers to be aware of:
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Enhanced collaboration: Trust promotes teamwork and easy information flow among employees. When team members trust one another, they are more likely to work together, share information, and contribute their unique strengths, leading to improved team performance.
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Increased employee engagement: High-level trust leads to higher commitment and dedication to organizational goals. Employees who trust their leads are often willing to go the extra mile to achieve success.
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Effective conflict resolution: In a workplace built on trust, conflicts are addressed constructively and resolved more efficiently. Employees are willing to engage in healthy discussions and find common ground to resolve disagreements.
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Supportive leadership: Trustworthy leaders create an environment where employees feel supported and valued. Such leaders are approachable and open to listening to their team members. This supportive leadership style motivates employees and builds loyalty.
Among the many assets that a company has, the most important asset of all is its employees. Prioritizing a trusting working environment will only benefit your company in the long run and ensure a happy work environment. This will not only attract top talent much easier but will also help your company to retain top talent.
Steps to achieve effective trust management
Unfortunately, most people have not been taught how to develop trust. Especially now, with many people working remotely, trust is more important than ever.
Fortunately, there are tried-and-true methods on how you as a manager can increase trust in the workplace.
1. Reliability and consistency
The first stage in establishing trust in the workplace is to show up with consistency, as inconsistency or unpredictability can make developing relationships difficult. Being upfront, straightforward, and communicative with team members, defining expectations, and being accountable to them as a manager must be done consistently.
If you want to create trust and confidence in your team, you must be consistent in dealing with and directing them. You should also be consistent in your promise vs. action. In essence, as a manager, you do what you say you will do. Be punctual and dependable in meeting deadlines and honoring agreements as best as you can.
2. Give autonomy to employees
Employees require clear tasks and goals while having the freedom to execute them in the most effective manner that works best for them. Remember - everyone's working style is different! This is referred to as "autonomy". This autonomy is a crucial driver of trust and a foundational element in building trust among team members.
Demonstrating trust in your team involves gradually granting them more autonomy, and trusting them to complete their tasks on time without micromanaging.
By granting autonomy, employees gain the freedom to experiment and take calculated risks, leading to improved performance and increased dedication to their work.
Encourage a sense of ownership and accountability among employees by allowing them to make decisions and take responsibility for their work. Set clear goals and expectations, but also provide flexibility in how they approach tasks. This will foster innovation, creativity, and a higher sense of job satisfaction.
3. Transparency and empathy
Be sure to provide continuous updates to the team on what's going on in the company, and all information that can be useful for them. Try to avoid withholding resources from employees or making any secret decisions.
With that being said, be open and honest in your communication with employees. Share information about the organization's goals, challenges, and decisions.
Demonstrate empathy by actively listening to their concerns and considering their perspectives. Transparency and empathy build a positive work culture and create a supportive environment where employees will feel comfortable approaching you with any ideas or concerns.
4. Every voice is valued
The best managers communicate with their employees rather than talking at them. You can already emphasize the importance of every voice early in the onboarding process, as doing so will establish a great tone for a collaborative, productive, and trusted relationship.
Setting up frequent check-in times and maintaining an open-door policy indicates your accessibility and helps in the development of an authentic one-on-one connection with employees.
Another way to put this into action is to validate every employee's contribution and incorporate their insights when possible.
5. Make yourself available
Managers can easily build their confidence by being present in the workplace. This includes being available to answer any inquiries, reaching out to employees from time to time, and providing support. The more you interact and communicate, the more at ease employees will feel.
Being available shows that you are genuinely interested in their well-being and success.
6. Celebrate accomplishments
Managers can rapidly gain the trust of their employees, and new hires by celebrating their accomplishments and successes. Recognize their achievements, offer them praise and acknowledgment for their efforts, and demonstrate that you respect and appreciate their contributions to the team. You can do this through verbal praise or even through offering small gestures of appreciation.
This will aid in the development of a favorable rapport as well as a sense of mutual respect and admiration.
7. Embrace mistakes as opportunities for learning
Everyone is human. Mistakes can happen, and it is not always the end of the world.
Nobody wants to work in a place where they can't make errors. Worry and distrust are fostered by a persistent worry of making a mistake. Managers can "sunshine" their own mistakes as well as the mistakes of others to demonstrate that their team cares more about learning from mistakes rather than being penalized for them.
Embrace a growth mindset that views mistakes as opportunities for learning and improvement. Allow employees to recognize what they did wrong, and how they can do better the next time in a safe space. When mistakes occur, refrain from blame and instead focus on understanding the lessons that can be gained.
8. Provide frequent feedback
Offer regular, constructive feedback to employees to guide their development. Recognize their strengths and highlight areas for improvement. Frequency feedback demonstrates your commitment to their growth and success.
You can also be open to feedback yourself! When your team has feedback for you, receive it with an open mindset to set an example to others that feedback is positive and can only help you grow professionally, and personally.
9. Actions speak louder than words
Managers can achieve effective trust management by modeling the behavior they seek from their employees because nothing speaks louder about an organization's culture than the leader's behavior. This drives employees' behavior and has the capacity to drive their outcomes.
If you believe collaboration is crucial, demonstrate it by working across teams and functions. Give employees credit when they perform well and. you'll create an appreciative culture.
10. Rebuilding trust
If trust is damaged, address the issue promptly and take responsibility for any actions that contributed to the breach. Engage in open and honest dialogue to understand concerns and work collaboratively on solutions. Rebuilding trust requires consistent actions and transparent communication to regain confidence.
You should also provide opportunities for employees to voice their opinions and contribute to decision-making, empowering them to feel valued and part of the rebuilding process.
to work together in order to achieve the same final company goals.
What are the two types of trust?
When we talk about creating consistent trust, there are two types of trust that you should be aware of. Both are essential and complement one another. As a result, it is vital that you cultivate both types of trust at the same time.
Practical trust
This is the more conventional type of trust, and it is generally the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about how you can trust someone.
This type of trust is earned by being a hardworking employee: they are punctual, complete their tasks well, and fulfill their deadlines
Earning this level of trust will earn them the reputation of being dependable and competent. When they say they will do something, they will be sure to follow through. However, without this kind of trust, managers can end up bringing out their micromanaging habits. Consequently, communication can break down, and productivity suffers as a result.
Emotional trust
This refers to another aspect of trust that people are less likely to be aware of. You build emotional trust by going above and beyond expectations and forming meaningful ties with your employees. It necessitates a certain amount of emotional intelligence.
Successful leaders have greater levels of emotional intelligence, therefore this is an excellent ability to begin cultivating!
Emotional trust involves the belief that the other person genuinely cares, understands, and empathizes with your emotions and well-being. It is developed through experiences of vulnerability and emotional openness with another person, leading to a sense of emotional safety in the relationship.
This type of trust is essential in personal relationships but also in professional settings, where it fosters a positive work culture and enhances teamwork and collaboration.
Trust management training for managers
Trust management training is the perfect opportunity for managers to self-reflect on their management and leadership style and see how they can improve and what they are doing well on.
Trust management training is crucial for managers as it equips them with essential skills to build and maintain trust within their team. By creating trust, managers can enhance team performance, boost employee engagement, and promote a positive work culture that employees love being part of.
Through conflict resolution skills, managers can address challenges constructively, further strengthening trust within the team. Trust management training also encourages innovation and creativity, as employees feel empowered to share ideas and take risks without fear of judgment.
As managers lead by example, their trustworthy behaviors set a positive tone for the entire organization. Trust management training prepares managers to navigate changing work environments, adapt their leadership styles, and maintain team cohesion, especially in diverse settings.
Ultimately, investing in trust management training leads to increased success. If your managers are thriving, so will the rest of your employees.
Below are some questions that can be used in trust management training to help managers reflect on their management style and their relationship with their team:
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How can you, as a manager, asses whether your team or organization fosters an environment where individuals feel comfortable voicing their thoughts and ideas without apprehension?
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Regarding any mistakes made within your team, what is your approach to addressing/responding to them? How will you provide a safe space for them to take accountability?
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What are some effective strategies you would employ in your team to cultivate a culture that embraces learning from mistakes and promotes a continuous improvement mindset?
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How would you show appreciation and acknowledgment to your team members for their valuable contributions?
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In what ways does fostering trust in employees' judgment positively influence their sense of ownership, autonomy, and overall job satisfaction?
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How can you establish a safe and inclusive environment that encourages open communication and dialogue between Upper Management and employees at all hierarchical levels?
Companies' trust levels may be on the rise, but that doesn't mean leaders should ease up on their efforts to instill trust in their teams and the organization as a whole. It takes a lot of effort to build trust and very little effort to lose it. Yet, employees who trust their bosses will move mountains for them and be more committed to the firm and their job positions.
In today's economic work, developing trust might just be your most crucial role as a leader, and Retorio is right there with you to help you and your company excel in everything training related. By providing personalized training, Retorio guides you to recognize your strengths and uncover areas for growth in a physiologically safe-space and accessible 24/7.
Training to become your best self as a manager? then tailored feedback is exactly what you need to see exactly where you can improve on.
Retorio's AI Coaching platform engages trainees in immersive simulations where they can practice and refine all management skills in a supportive environment that will nurture them into their best selves.
Want to get started right away? Check it out now - We look forward to it!
