Building Trust in the Workplace

The glue that holds any successful relationship together, is trust. The work place is a combination of varying personalities and work ethics, trust can help with ensuring these interactions are healthy and positive. Leaders in all contexts must build trust in order to achieve their goals.

We know that a strong web of professional relationships mostly stem from qualities such as respect, diligence and kindness. Trust implies a sense of reliance and a duty of obligation. If achieved, it will mean that co-workers will go above and beyond with people they trust.

Praising your peers is an effective way to develop an authentic relationship. Much like in social scenarios, complimenting someone makes you seem as gracious. It has to be carried out genuinely meaning that the timing of such praise needs to be carefully considered. Team meetings and presentations are a great opportunity to extend your thanks or appreciation more naturally.

When it comes to office politics, sharing gossip and secrets is obviously not ideal for building trust. Rumours can poison even the best of relationships. If you are talking behind someones back, people will assume you do the same to them. Its an ongoing toxic cycle that ends with you not being involved in the first place. If you are in this place already, be honest in clearing any circulating gossip that could be harmful in the future. Resolving the issue in person and in private is often the best way to do this. This does not mean that it should stop you from sharing information. It is a matter of your intentions, if the goal is to help your co-workers develop and succeed, make sure you carry it out selflessly.

Of course, trust is a two way street. So trust your peers if you are expecting them to trust you back. Unintentional or not, micromanaging others can be a big deterrent in building trust. Schedule check in meetings to give them all they need in order to succeed and trust them to execute it. People trust leaders who make them feel valued. The degree of this all comes down to being consistent with your expectations. If you are routinely on time for meetings and projects, no one will ever doubt your delivery. This applies to your individual mood as well. Being calm, collected and cool under high pressure situations is a must in achieving a professional rapport.