How Certified People Managers Build Trust-Based Teams

We have all heard the anonymous quote “Trust takes years to build, seconds to break, and forever to repair.” Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said, “I am not upset that you lied to me. I am upset that from now on I cannot believe you.”

Today, we are witnessing a lot of discussion about trust in workplaces; why it is declining, its importance, and how to build it within teams. Trust plays a crucial role in opening new opportunities and helps managers grow organizations to unexpected levels.

What is trust in a workplace?

It is a feeling that makes your team members believe that you are on their side, treat them with fairness and respect, and accept setbacks as a part of employee development and growth. Aligning your actions and words is an important pillar to build trust-based teams. If there is a disconnect between your actions and words, your team members may be less committed and disengaged.

How to build trust in the workplace?

1. Readiness to earn trust
   Trust is earned and needs a conscious effort. It is important to keep your words and align your behavior with your purpose and values. When your team members trust you as a leader, they will be highly engaged and motivated to deliver their best performance, which brings personal and organizational growth.
2. Honesty and transparency
   Even in tough situations, honesty and transparency are essential. You must empathize with your people and communicate facts while being considerate about their efforts. Being sensitive to their feelings and understanding that unavoidable mistakes are made goes a long way in developing trust. Transparency is key to having open conversations, collaboration, and respect and takes out the mystery and skepticism from the workplace. Focused, relevant, and timely communication is crucial. An effective leadership training program will teach you to be honest and transparent even if you do not have all the answers.
3. Deliberate and intentional listening
   A common mistake with managers is that they often talk too much as they feel the need to be in charge at all times. However, the truth is that when you listen more, you will learn crucial information for organizational success. Some important strategies to become a better listener include:
   
   • Offering team members the opportunity to ask more questions and voice their concernsEncouraging two-way conversations
   • Suppressing the urge to think what you will say next when your team members are speaking
   • Listening with an open mind and not for what you want to hear
   • Being attentive to non-verbal cues

   A certified people manager program will help you learn these strategies and implement them to foster trust within your team members.

4. Consistent trustworthy behavior
   When you consistently do what you say, it helps to developing trust over a period of time. Your people need to see that you hold your commitment to them and the team. Additionally, taking time to regularly listen and work on building meaningful relationships with your team members is important to gain trust.
5. Empathy and humanity
   Managers who pause to consider the feelings of their team members and work towards building genuine relationships inevitably build trust. You must show your people that you hear them and validate their emotions. With people management training, you will learn to:
   • Schedule regular check-ins to share how your team members are doing and what help or support is needed from you
   • Take the time and make the effort to know and remember your team members’ passions, hobbies, likes, and dislikes
   • Appreciate their efforts and offer constructive feedback on their work to demonstrate your attention and make them feel seen and valued

Building a trust-based team is an important component for organizational success in today’s dynamic and modern work environment. Without trust, organizations will fail to engage and retain talented people, maintain robust hybrid work culture, maintain or grow brands, or create meaningful employee experiences.

So, how does an organization achieve better results, higher engagement, and lower employee turnover? By developing trust-based teams where people believe that their managers care. While it takes real effort, an effective people management program can help organizations to gain employee trust.

Are you ready to start your journey towards developing trust-based teams? Check out our leadership programs here OR contact us now.