Trust is a two-way street. You want to know that the members of your team will work to complete the job that they have been hired to do. Your employees want to know that they are working for a company that has their best interests in mind. At the foundation of any relationship built on trust is mutual respect and security. How can leaders create a company culture that prioritizes healthy, trusting relationships and honesty? Below are 7 tips for building trust in the workplace.
Why is Trust in the Workplace Important?
Violating trust can ruin relationships both in personal and professional settings. Many leaders are laser-focused on determining whether they can trust the people they have hired to do the right thing but fail to ask themselves whether or not the team they are leading trusts them in return. When your team trusts you, they are more willing to follow your direction and go above and beyond what you ask of them. This leads to better results, more efficient work, collaborative problem-solving, and boosted morale.
How to Build Trust
Listen Actively
One of the simplest ways to build trust is to do what you say you are going to do. When your team comes to you with feedback, listen and act accordingly. Employees who feel heard and acknowledged will feel more encouraged to communicate openly with you, opening the potential to innovate outdated systems and practices. Don’t be afraid to have difficult conversations when needed, and be deliberate about constructively and intentionally providing feedback.
Participate
Your team doesn’t work for you, they work with you – even if you are the one calling the shots and making the final decisions. As a leader, you have an important opportunity to showcase the power of teamwork through your actions. Be an active participant in company get-togethers and networking events, interact with your team from a place of genuine interest, and make it clear that you are extending trust to others as opposed to just seeking trust for yourself.
Empower and Encourage
When you extend trust to your team members, it empowers them to reciprocate that trust back to you. Include individuals in new projects that challenge them, provide opportunities to rise to a challenge, and avoid micromanaging your team to show them that you know they are capable of achieving more. Call out wins when you see them and celebrate the professional and personal successes of your team members. Give your team the chance to lean into their strengths and grow through real-world scenarios.
Communicate Clearly
You can’t expect your team to be honest with you if you aren’t honest with them. Approach every conversation, both in a group setting and one-on-ones, with honesty and transparency. This shows your team members that you can empathize with them while still holding them to high standards. Some tough changes may warrant you sharing your rationale behind the decision you have made for the team. Listen to what your team has to say in return and show them that you hear them.
Coach and Mentor
Is your primary objective to discipline your employees or to support them? A good leader teaches people how they can meet the expectations set for them. You will still need to have tough conversations with underperformers and negative team members, but they will be more likely to listen to you if they trust you. Show your employees that you are genuinely interested in what they care about in their personal and professional lives and encourage them to take care of their mental and physical health outside of the office. The best way to mentor and coach your team is to lead by example.
Own Your Mistakes
You will inevitably make mistakes as a leader. What matters is how you handle them. You can still express strong leadership and strength while also being clear about the fact that you are human. Apologize when you need to and learn from your experiences. Your employees will be more comfortable confiding in you with their own mistakes, paving the way for you to create a solution together.
Embody Your Values
Nothing ties a group of people together like a strong set of shared values. Hold yourself to the same high standards that you hold your team and never ask them to do something that you wouldn’t do yourself. Asking your team to dig in for a productive week will be more effective when they know that you will have your sleeves rolled up and will be working alongside them.
Are you ready to learn more about the role of a leader and how to manage your team effectively? Front Line Leadership offers a flexible leadership training program geared towards providing new and current supervisors and managers with a toolkit of practical communication and employee development tools that reduce conflict, improve employee performance, and enhance team effectiveness. Contact us to learn more.