Trust is one of the key elements to running a business smoothly. You want your team to have trust in you and your capabilities, as well as trust each other as a team. So, what is trust in the first place, and how do you get your team to trust you?
Trust has a couple of different definitions, but overall, trust is all about depending on one another and believing what you do is best for everyone. To gain trust, it’s important that as a leader you set the example of what that looks like. Here are some great ways you can build trust within your team:
-
Transparent decision making is a great way to build trust. If you leave everyone on your team in the dark about an important decision, they might question your motives. Make sure you keep everyone informed along the way of making important decisions.
-
Being dependable is another important factor to trust. If you say you’re going to do something, do it, and if not, keep people informed about what you’re doing. Being undependable leads to an environment where the team won’t know what move you’ll make next, which is a straight path to mistrust and confusion.
-
Balance is a key factor with trust as well. Creating an environment where people are held accountable in a healthy way can be tricky. But it’s important that your team feels rewarded when they do something great, that they have you as a resource when things don’t go as planned. A workplace without accountability can lead to mistrust when things go wrong, whereas a workplace with strict punishments for mistakes can create mistrust and fear.
-
Get to know your team. This may seem like common sense, but it’s important that you get to know your teams’ lives outside of the workplace. You want to make sure your team is thriving both personally and professionally.
If building trust is on your to-do list for this fall and you are looking for more resources, reach out to info@goodleadership.com to get started.