When the Titanic was designed, several people knew the rudder was too small to maneuver through icebergs but were afraid to say the obvious.
Likewise, when a big company stops listening to its own staff, it’s dead in the water before it leaves the dock.
10 Way to Build Trust/Mistrust at Your Company
Here are 10 strategies you can adopt to build — or destroy – an atmosphere of trust at your company.
1. Complains
Builds mistrust: Complaining to others about problems you are having with a peer without allempting to solve the problem through direct communication. Establishing an atmosphere in which this is tolerated.
Builds trust: Solving problems through direct communication at the lowest equivalent level — yourself and your peers; yourself and your direct manager; yourself, your manager, and his or her manager.
Establishing an atmosphere in which this is the culture.
2. Taking Credit
Builds mistrust: Taking credit for yourself, or allowing others to give you credit for an accomplishment that was not all yours.
Builds trust: Sharing credit genuinely. When in doubt, sharing.
3. Commitment
Builds mistrust: Making a pretended or halfhearted commitment (for example, “l’ll get back to you.”)
Builds trust: When in doubt about taking on a commitment, airing your concerns with the relevant parties. When engaged in an ongoing commitment, communicating anticipated slippage as soon as you suspect it. Asking for help.
4. Only Promises You can Keep
Builds mistrust: Managing/supervising/directing only while you’re behind your desk.
Builds trust: Spending “informed” time mingling, asking non- assumptive questions and making only promises you can keep while working back through lines of authority.
5. Communicate Openly
Builds mistrust: Being unclear or not exactly explicit about what you need or expect. Assuming that your subordinates “should” know without being told.
Builds trust: Being explicit and direct. Welcoming questions and responding with closure.
6. Sharing Opinion
Builds mistrust: Withholding potentially useful opinions until the drama heightens, thus minimizing your risk of being wrong.
Builds trust: Courage means having fear and acting positively anyway. Being timely; being willing to be wrong.
7. Show Respect and Concerns for Others
Builds mistrust: Communicating with undue abruptness when others venture new opinions or questions. Aiming to have your point of view prevail.
Builds trust: Listening carefully; assigning yourself to understand. Addressing the issue with your honest opinion. Communicating for clarity and closure.
8. Working as a Team
Builds mistrust: Creating the appearance of working through an entire lead team, while actually confiding in only one or two members or in no one at all.
Builds trust: Establishing trust with all members of your lead team. Letting competence and jurisdiction determine the level of your confidence.
9. Perform Competently
Builds mistrust: Holding in your mind another department’s productivity or behavior as a reason for less cooperation, or for your own department’s shortcomings.
Builds trust: Establishing direct, respectful communication, airing your problems and seeking win-win closure.
10. Create a Healthy Work Environment
Builds mistrust: Having performance review time the only time for coaching input.
Builds trust: Scheduling regular meetings for input and feedback. Developing systems for staff members to communicate specific needs for improvement to management.
Wanted to add something in the story, do in the comments!
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