Building trust at the workplace

Introduction
Trust is about reliability and doing the right thing. It's also a big factor that will determine
success in your job and your career -- especially in a rough business climate where your value as
an employee is closely watched.
Do your colleagues, subordinates or superiors perceive you as trustworthy and honest? How do
you perceive them? Trust is a characteristic that builds respect and loyalty, as well as a
supportive and safe work environment. Distrust increases tension and negative "on guard"
behavior, which can erode the spirit of the team and ultimately productivity.
Many experts agree that trust is perhaps the most important element of a successful workplace.
Companies whose employees trust them tend to have a more engaged workforce and a high
efficiency work environment. On the flip side, organizations that have lost employee trust are not
as successful. It is not uncommon in times of economic distress for trust to be lost with
employers, government and our fellow man. This was seen during the depression of the 1930s
and it is being seen again with the current global economic situation.
The ability to build and maintain trust in an organization starts at the very top and then must be
fostered through the rest of the company. Management must set the example and the standard for
all employees to follow. Integrity is crucial to building an environment of trust in any
relationship, including those between an organization and its employees on every level. Excellent
and open communication also very crucial in the development of trust; employees must know the
companys vision and its plan to achieve the vision.
BUILDING TRUST IN THE WORKPLACE:

Trust has taken a hit lately in all facets of our life. Chalk it up to the combined effects of the
economic meltdown, financial mismanagement, and an increasing sense that, in business at least,
everyone seems to be in it only for themselves. The result has been dwindling levels of trust in
organizations. In fact, a recent poll by Maritz indicates that only seven percent of workers
strongly agree that they trust their senior leaders to look out for their best interest. And a survey
by MasteryWorks indicated that a lack of trust correlated highly to employee turnover.
Trust is a critical link to all good relationships, both personal and professional.
Studies show that productivity, income, and profits are positively or negatively impacted
depending on the level of trust in the work environment. Trust can be created or destroyed
through personal perceptions and behaviors. Trust means different things to different people. Its
predicated on who we are and how we were raised and is shaped by our experiences and
perceptions of others behavior. (Building trust: The Ken Blanchard Companies|)

Rebuilding trust has become a top priority for companies that are looking to break out of the
negativity that has become pervasive in many organizations. Lack of trust creates
cynicism, doubt, and anxiety that leads to time off-task speculation and
generally low energy and productivity. When people dont trust their leaders,
they dont come toward something; they pull back and withdraw instead.
They doubt rather than cooperate.
Blanchards research with more than 1,000 leaders reinforces this point.
Fifty-nine percent of respondents indicated they had left an organization due
to trust issues, citing lack of communication and dishonesty as key
contributing factors.
The Four Elements of Trust
There are four key elements that leaders need to be aware of when they are looking at building or
restoring trust with the people they lead. By using the TrustWorks! ABCD Trust Model,
individuals can create action plans to increase the level of trust in relationships or repair
damaged relationships where trust has been broken (Building trust: The Ken Blanchard
Companies|).
1. Able is about demonstrating competence. Do the leaders know how to get the job done? Are
they able to produce results? Do they have the skills to make things happenincluding knowing
the organization and equipping people with the resources and information they need to get their
job done?
2. Believable means acting with integrity. Leaders have to be honest in their dealings with
people. In practical terms, this means creating and following fair processes. People need to feel
that they are being treated equitably. It doesnt necessarily mean that everyone has to be treated
the same way in all circumstances, but it does mean that people are being treated appropriately
and justly based on their own unique circumstances. Believability is also about acting in a
consistent, values-driven manner that reassures employees that they can rely on their leaders.
3. Connected is about demonstrating care and concern for other people.
It means focusing on people and identifying their needs. It is supported by good communication
skills. Leaders need to openly share information about the organization and about themselves.
This allows the leader to be seen as more of a real person that a direct report can identify with.
When people share a little bit of information about themselves, it creates a sense of connection.
4. Dependable is about reliably following through on what the leaders say that they are
going to do. It means being accountable for their actions and being responsive to the needs of
others. If leaders promise something, they must follow through. It also requires being organized
and predictable so that people can see that the leaders have things in order and are able to follow
through on their promises.
The Leadership Challenge:

When people believe that they are working for trustworthy leaders, they are willing to invest
their time and talents in making a difference in an organization. People who feel more connected
will invest more of themselves in their work. High trust levels lead to a greater sense of self
responsibility, greater interpersonal insight, and more collective action toward achieving
common goals.
Leaders must think about the four core elements represented in the TrustWorks! ABCD Trust
Model and how people in their organization would rate them in these four areas. If they find
themselves lacking in a particular area, they need to tackle this head-on. In addition, leaders need
to take the time to assess current trust levels in their organizations and if they find trust is
lacking, immediately begin a process to resolve the issues.
The Transparency Challenge:
The challenge with transparency is to identify the behaviors that clearly define the concept. Its
important to remember that trust is in the eyes of the beholder. What does transparency mean in
your organization? Should employees be getting all of the information? Who should be included
in meetings? And if you have been a very tight-lipped organization in the past, you are going to
have to be open and candid about what you are going to do to become more transparent in that
transition before people are really going to trust the new behaviors.
For leaders looking to be more upfront and authentic, three behaviors will help them to get
started.
1. Be accessible. As a leader, particularly during tumultuous times, its important to be out in
front of the organization sharing plans for the future. Dont hide behind closed doors or delegate
the important task of communicating to others.
2. Acknowledge that people have concerns. Once youve communicated the vision for the
organization, you also need to take the time to listen for concerns and anxieties that people might
have.
3. Followthrough. If you dont know the answer to a question immediately and say that you will
get back to the employee, make sure that you do so in the promised amount of time. Keeping
your word on small things demonstrates dependability and reliability that people can count on
when it comes to big things. It builds credibility that you, the leader, will continue to do what
you say you will.
Eight Things an Organization Can Do to Improve Trust:
Demonstrating Trust
Sharing Information
Telling It Straight
Providing Opportunities for Everyone to Win
Providing Feedback
Resolving Concerns

Head On Admitting Mistakes

Walking the Talk

Building trust in the workplace: A womens

perspective
For the first time in US history, women now make up a larger percentage of the working
population than men. Just as significantly, research has consistently demonstrated that having
women in top management positions correlates with financial success for organizations . As
recently highlighted in Womenomics, the need to keep women in those top positions is not only
relevant during an economic downturn, but essential to continued organizational success.
Given these facts, organizations now need to pay even more attention to what women at work
are thinking, and how they have been affected by the recession, downsizings, furloughs, and
general malaise. Data from CCLs World Leadership Study (WLS) suggest that, overall, women
are less trusting of their bosses than men. (Sarah Stawiski, 2010).
According to results from the WLS: over the course of the recession, women remained more
trusting of people in general (e.g., their neighbors, people with the same religious beliefs, and
people they meet in stores) than did men. That means that womens lower trust at work is not a
result of general feelings of discontent because of the recession. Rather, it is specific to the
workplace and what women have experienced there. (Sarah Stawiski, 2010).
Why are Women less trusting of their bosses and the people they work with than men are?
Women might believe they dont get a fair shake in the workplace even in a good year.
The recession may be creating a feeling of vulnerability for those who are not interested
in working 80+ hours a week and want a better balance between work and personal life.
Women tend to be more sensitive and responsive to social cues, including threat signals.
If you are reluctant to do trust falls in the office every week to gain their trust, do not fear;
there are other options. They are:

Competence
Caring
Consistency

Competence is self-explanatory. If you are good at what you do, it will show. Employees
like to work for (and with) people who are skilled and knowledgeable, and
demonstrating competence builds trust.
Caring means showing your employees that they matter to you. Asking for input and
taking suggestions seriously are powerful ways of involving employees and building
trust. Get to know your employees and their goals and interests. Show them that you will
look out for their interests when you can.

 Finally, be consistent. Do what you say you are going to do. People trust those they can
rely on, and there is no faster way to break trust than by breaking promises. This is
especially important advice with regard to the women in your organization. Be vigilant
about making sure that you are meeting the needs of, communicating with, and respecting
the women on your teams as much as you do the men.
Talented women are increasingly vital to the success of organizations. (Jennifer J. Deal,
2010) As we have studied earlier, it is not a given that women will stick around long-term and
continue to make a contribution to your organization. However, building trust is one strategy you
can use for increasing their retention.
Trust is crucial to an organizations health, and not just for increasing retention. Without it,
communication, accountability, and innovation suffer. The good news is that leaders can learn to
build high quality relationships that promote trust with and among their coworkers.

Building trust in a team at the workplace:

Without trust, teams cannot and will not function effectively. Trust is the foundation for all
positive group dynamics, including open communication, consensus decision making, effective
problem solving and constructive, productive conflict. (Gale Mote, 2013)
In a team, trust has three components: integrity, ability and caring. Integrity has to do with
character, ability correlates with competence and caring is how team members treat one another.
In his best-selling book, "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team," Patrick Lencioni describes trust as
the ability to be real, open and vulnerable with one another. Building trust in a team is more of a
process than an event, a journey, not a destination. It begins with darif^ng expectations and
establishing core values that are non-negotiable.
Trust builds when each team member is more trustworthy. As team members demonstrate the
core values, their confidence and commitment in one another increases. When a misstep occurs,
it is important to apologize, forgive and move on. If a member consistently fails to demonstrate
the core values of the team, she will need to be removed from the team.
Caring is demonstrated by getting to know one another as people. Do not underestimate the
bonds of trust that form when team members take the time to really understand each other as
human beings.
Trust Lines ask each team member to create a graph that visually shows, over time, the important
successes and failures in his life. As each team member shares these high and low points, he also
shares lessons learned. You learn a lot about how a person communicates, makes decisions and
approaches situations based on his significant life experiences.
To help build trust in a person's competence, it is important for the team leader to introduce all
team members and specifically state why each person was chosen for the team, the strengths they
bring and the role they will perform. This is especially critical in virtual teams where members
are not co-located together. Asking team members to participate in personality and strengths
assessments also help to build trust in one another's abilities and talents.

Myers-Briggs, DISC and other personality assessments help team members learn how to flex
their styles when communicating and collaborating with others who are not like them. (Gale
Mote, 2013)
Lastly, trust builds when team members demonstrate vulnerability with their peers. Integrity,
competence and caring are essential in building trust among team members. Trust does not
happen by accident. It takes discipline and thoughtful actions from everyone on the team. Team
members who trust one another are able to make effective decisions that tap into the perspectives
and talents of all.