In Uncertain Times, Trust Is Your Strongest Foundation
Whenever I hear the phrase “move at the speed of trust,” I think about the incremental, often slow, way that trust is earned and validated over time. When I compare that to the pace of the average workplace, I can easily get pessimistic about how we’re able to bond and evolve together.
I recently completed a five-part series, Trust at Work, with Charles Feltman of Insight Coaching. Trustworthiness and Transparency is one of the six principles of the trauma informed approach, and I was looking for new tools for working with teams and organizations navigating change and transition. For many of these teams, the breakdown of trust and an increase in uncertainty are palpable and urgent. Because of this urgency, moving at the speed of trust can feel counterintuitive. In my trainings about trauma informed supervision and navigating conflict, I talk about how trust is a foundation for so many things, and we’ll need it to resolve conflict, make decisions, and encourage authenticity. Building and sustaining this trust must be intentional and consistent. When we don’t have it, moving through challenges can feel impossible.
Charles defines trust as “choosing to risk making something you value vulnerable to another person’s actions,” which really made me pause. It’s easy for me to connect this definition to my personal relationships, but, of course, all of this is happening in our workplaces too. What stands out to me about that definition is that we have to choose to risk something, often something we hold in high regard, and our vulnerability is required. Being vulnerable, especially at work, and especially when we’re in a leadership position that society expects us to be “fearless” with, is a tall order.
“Trust is defined as choosing to risk making something you value vulnerable to another person’s actions.”
I’m sure you won’t be surprised to learn that going through a training series didn’t simplify the endeavor of trust building for me. However, it did confirm my belief that we need to actively be nurturing trust all the time, and that’s what will help us when we’re struggling, lacking capacity, or experiencing conflict. The good news is, if trust building is something you know you need to do, the best thing to do is simply begin! We can’t always repair the breakdown of trust, but making the effort can increase confidence and openness for future possibilities, and also bolster your ability to get your work done together.
Here are a few suggestions for how you might increase the trust within your own team or organization:
Host a facilitated conversation about what motivates individuals about the work you do together. This can increase the overall commitment to the team’s success and create an authentic connection about your shared vision.
Normalize conflict as a part of every kind of relationship. Doing this before a significant conflict exists will let everyone know that the expectation is that conflict will be named and addressed as it occurs. It also encourages people to give their real feedback rather than letting resentment or confusion fester. Let people know that it’s okay to ask for help to address conflict and remind them that navigating conflict can actually increase trust, especially while investing in creating space where people feel safe.
Ask everyone to share a little bit about their interests and go-to self-care strategies. Then, link people with shared interests or activities together so they can create natural connections. Of course, when you ask people to share their personal strategies, make it clear that this is an “opt-in” request.
Build in times to rest, review what’s working, celebrate success, and learn about trends in the field together. Sharing a sense of curiosity and creativity can increase connections and strengthen the work you’re doing.
Take turns leading meetings and projects so that you can magnify everyone’s engagement, collaboration, and ownership of your collective efforts.
Together, share project and status updates so there’s shared knowledge of how things are going, where there are challenges, and how individuals might help each other. Be aware of whether this creates competition or an unintentional sense of scrutiny – that’s the opposite of what you want to create. Aim to make this feel informal and coming from a place of genuine interest and curiosity.
Trust feels like an important asset as we face increased stress and uncertainty because of the dynamics in the world around us. It’s not something “extra” in our workplaces - it’s absolutely necessary. When we have it, we can face challenges with a solid foundation. When we don’t have it, our work and our effectiveness will stumble. In either case, building trust must be intentional, consistent, and focused on your shared mission and vision.
