Behaviours that can Develop and Maintain Trust in the Workplace
by Eugene Piccinini, Senior Learning Consultant
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The best way to find out if you
can trust somebody is to trust them.
Ernest Hemingway
“
”
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Behaviours that can Develop and Maintain Trust in the Workplace
If I were to identify the single most important ingredient for effective collaboration, I would say without hesitation, that it would be building and sustaining trust.
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Behaviours that can Develop and Maintain Trust in the Workplace
Being able to trust someone and be trusted by someone is so critical that without it, you have nothing. At its most basic level, trust is the confidence people have that you will act in their best interest.
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Behaviours that can Develop and Maintain Trust in the Workplace
Quite simply, you get out what you put in, because in order to get trust you need to give it. There really is no single action that will create trust. Trust is built over time by consistently exhibiting a number of behaviours and values.
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Behaviours that can Develop and Maintain Trust in the Workplace
Say what you mean and
mean what
you say
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Behaviours that can Develop and Maintain Trust in the Workplace
Regardless of whether you work
remotely or are co-located with
your team, if you adhere to these
golden rules, you’ll be assured of
forging and maintaining a great
collaborative relationship with your
co-workers.
So let’s take a deeper dive into
what these pillars of trust
encompass…
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Behaviours that can Develop and Maintain Trust in the Workplace
Sincerity is the assessment that you are honest.
It’s about saying what you mean and meaning what you say so that
you can be believed and be taken seriously.
It also means that when you express an opinion, it is valid.
People will question your sincerity when you don’t act in accordance
with what you say.
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GOLDEN RULE 1: Building and Sustaining Trust through Sincerity
It’s very important to ensure that you are sincere in your transactions with fellow colleagues.
A lack of sincerity is a slap in the face to anyone on the receiving end of disingenuous behaviour. Being a sincere colleague will go a long way in adding credibility to what you say and do.
The evaluation of how sincere you are being is that you are telling the truth as you see it and that you actually mean what you say.
Giving people a reason to assess that you are sincere is called congruence.
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GOLDEN RULE 1: Building and Sustaining Trust through Sincerity
Internal congruence involves being honest with yourself and making sure you believe and are committed to what you are saying.
External congruence involves being honest and straightforward with others.
The evaluation of how sincere you are being is that you are telling the truth as you see it and that you actually mean what you say.
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GOLDEN RULE 1: Building and Sustaining Trust through Sincerity
So when focusing on
building and
sustaining trust
through sincerity,
consider the following
top tips for our first
golden rule
Be intentional about what you say to people
Be intentional about what you say when talking about your interests, beliefs and expectations
Check your internal congruence. Are you being honest with yourself, making sure you actually believe and are committed to what you are saying?
Are you being consistent, honest and straightforward with others? Is what you are saying now to your colleague consistent with what you said to them in the past? Check your external congruence
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GOLDEN RULE 2: Walk the talk
In additional to saying what you mean and meaning what you say, being able to build and sustain trust also involves walking the talk. This is our second golden rule.
People will immediately recognize when you advocate one value with your words but demonstrate the opposite of that value through your actions.
This will undermine your trustworthiness as a leader or co-worker. By always seeking to act in a manner consistent with your words you not only lead by example but you build trust.
Walking the talk comes down to reliability. It’s about meeting the commitments you make and keeping to your promises.
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GOLDEN RULE 2: Walk the talk
And this, in itself, can provide challenges.
Indeed, a common problem with not being able to walk the talk is overpromising.
This will automatically set you up for failure so when walking the talk, think about how realistic it is to meet the expectations of that colleague who wants you to fulfil a request.
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Before responding to a request, make sure you’re in a position to fulfil it
Seek further clarification if you don’t fully understand a request. Any ambiguity may lead to a request not being correctly fulfilled
When offering to do something, be clear about what it is you will do and possibly what you won’t be doing
GOLDEN RULE 2: Walk the talk
Consider the
following top tips,
our second golden
rule:
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GOLDEN RULE 3: Be accountable
Being accountable and demonstrating your accountability will go a long way to sustaining trust.
It can be particularly distasteful for many when accountability is not demonstrated.
To maintain the respect and trust of co-workers, don’t hesitate to own your mistakes.
Contact the affected parties as soon as possible to apologize and offer solutions for possible remedial actions.
Invite others to offer advice and provide you with their perspective on the situation.
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GOLDEN RULE 3: Be accountable
Here are some
tips for being
accountable,
our third golden
rule:
Stand up and be counted. If you have been responsible for a discrepancy, don’t be afraid to own it
Don’t deflect or minimize a problem you need to deal with
Be timely and don’t drag your feet, deal with an issue head on and in the most constructive way possible
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GOLDEN RULE 4: Actively listen
For our fourth golden rule, I’d ask you to reflect on your listening skills, because being a good listener can go a long way to building trust.
Taking the time to listen to understand the opinion of others demonstrates respect and acknowledges the other person’s perspective.
People invariably trust leaders who acknowledge their ideas and opinions.
Listening for understanding does not mean that you must agree with others, but it does require that you truly want to hear what others have to say and are open to their ideas.
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GOLDEN RULE 4: Actively listen
Consider these tips
to becoming a good
listener, our fourth
golden rule:
Don’t interrupt – avoid verbal collisions and allow your co-worker plenty of time to say what they need to say
Demonstrate that you’ve understood what has been said by paraphrasing – restating the main elements of what you have heard but by using different words. This reassures the other party that you are listening
If relevant, ask probing questions to demonstrate a genuine interest in the conversation you are having
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GOLDEN RULE 5: Foster a blame-free culture
Interacting with your co-workers openly and directly builds trust and commitment to the team.
If you are a leader, ensure you create an environment where people are not afraid to be honest and open.
As much as accountability is a critical element to building and sustaining trust, so is promoting an environment where if mistakes are made, no blame is apportioned.
People make mistakes.
An honest mistake needs to be addressed in an appropriate manner. Listen, work together to ensure there are lessons learned and provide coaching instead of admonishment.
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GOLDEN RULE 5: Foster a blame-free culture
For golden rule
number five,
think about the
environment you
work in.
Don’t rebuke
Look at the source of the problem and address in a constructive manner
Invite honesty and make sure your door is open
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Other top tips that will help you build and sustain trust
Meet face-to-face to build
relationships if you are
working remotely
Maintain a sense of presence
through frequent
communications and fast
responses
Work together to determine
the best way to handle
conflict on the team
Focus on establishing
relationships, and not just
assigning tasks
Recognize and celebrate the
achievements of the team
Promote a shared sense of
identity and belonging
Keep the whole project
visible to team members,
not just the part
Quickly demonstrate your
capabilities, your integrity
and your care for others
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Behaviours that can Develop and Maintain Trust in the Workplace
Trust is the blood of teams –
the river that carries it along,
that pulses with life, that
brings thought and power to
everything the team attempts. Robbins and Finley Why Teams Don’t Work.
“ ”
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Behaviours that can Develop and Maintain Trust in the Workplace
Trust is such an important thing that if you are a leader or a member of a team, you should spend time reflecting on what you do and what you should do in order to create and sustain trust.
By following our best practices, there really should be no excuses for being complacent about such an important component of effective collaboration.
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Above all we’d like to hear from you directly, so please don’t hesitate to send any comments, questions or feedback
to us at: [email protected]
Or visit our website:
www.tmaworld.com
About Us
Visit
www.tmaworld.com/insights
to discover the latest
thinking from our experts
on global, collaborative,
cross-cultural and virtual
working.