Trust in the team you work with is very important to be productive and happy with what you do. A pleasant workplace, in which mutual respect predominates, is not only a “plus”, but an essential element for achieving professional goals.
As a leader, being trustworthy means:
- Do what you say you will do
- Be open and friendly (people trust leaders they like)
- Provide support to the team members, even when they make mistakes
- Balance the ratio between needs and results
We have prepared some tips on this topic for department heads, managers or team coordinators (tips that also apply to colleagues):
BE AWARE THAT TRUST IS BUILT IN TIME
Trust must be gained and is based on the conscious and constant effort to talk to people, to keep your promises and to align your behavior with your personal and company values. Consistency will help you strengthen these good relationships and is extremely important. Rarely do employees who lose confidence in their managers return to better feelings for them.
BE SINCERE
Even when it is difficult, tell the truth and not just what you think people want to hear. Providing support and understanding to your team members, even when they make mistakes, builds trust in the team, but also in you.
LISTEN ACTIVELY
Listen actively and check if you understood correctly, paraphrasing. Use more feedback tools to make sure everyone has a chance to express their point of view. It is advisable to talk constantly with employees, giving them the opportunity to ask questions and receive answers.
TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE SKILLS OF YOUR COLLEAGUES
An employee who is assigned tasks in accordance with his skills and inclinations will feel listened to, understood and highlighted by his boss. He will then be more motivated to do a great job.
TASK DISTRIBUTION
An employee who feels responsible and independent in carrying out activities, will also make the other members of a team see that their superior recognizes each other’s abilities and trusts them. At the same time, this will help the manager understand the real capabilities of the team.
ESTABLISHING DEADLINES
A clear explanation of the tasks that need to be completed and the roles of everyone in the process will allow the team to develop confidence in the manager, but also in their skills. In this regard, it is very important to set a deadline for achieving a goal: in this way, everyone can carry out their activities in an organized and efficient manner.
BE AN EXAMPLE
A leader who gains the trust of his team is a role model. The skills required of the team must be demonstrated primarily by those who request them, especially in terms of soft skills: from problem solving to stress resistance, from accuracy to a sense of self-confidence.
BUILD RESPONSIBLE
When you and other leaders equally recognize your mistakes and successes, employees consider you credible and will follow you. Always encourage honest dialogue and accountability by establishing processes that become part of the organizational culture, such as an evaluation of each project (positives, negatives, things to change) or a report on project statuses and next steps at each meeting (follow-up).
If you are a leader (whether it is an official title or not), you must always keep in mind that everyone approaches situations differently. The more you know about yourself and others, the more likely you are to make connections based on mutual trust at work.
