Trust is a critical part of the workplace and can be a significant hurdle for teams who need to collaborate. Without it, your team will struggle with poor productivity, communication issues and even a lack of motivation. Luckily, building trust can be a relatively simple process with the right tools and guidance.
To start, you should focus on the three drivers that make up trust: authenticity, logic and empathy. People tend to trust you when they think that they’re interacting with the real you (authenticity), have faith in your judgment and competence (logic), and feel like you care about them as people (empathy). Figure out which driver you’re “wobbling” on, and then work on improving it.
The most common type of trust is practical trust, which comes from your actions and decisions. It’s the kind of trust that can be developed by simply working hard, being on time and following through on your promises. You can also foster this type of trust by being honest with your team and admitting when you’ve made a mistake or have hurt someone.
Emotional trust is more challenging to build because it’s less tangible. It’s the trust that helps your teammates feel like you’re on their side, and that you’ll treat them kindly and respectfully. This trust requires a certain level of emotional intelligence and is best built by creating meaningful bonds with your team. One way to do this is by allowing your team members to share their personal fears with you in a safe environment, which can help them build trust with each other. building trust