Building Trust Within a Consulting Team

Trust doesn't come from your accomplishments. It comes from quiet moves like these: For years I thought I needed more experience, achievements, and wins to earn trust. But real trust isn't built through credentials. It's earned in small moments, consistent choices, and subtle behaviors that others notice - even when you think they don't. Here are 15 quiet moves that instantly build trust 👇🏼 1. You close open loops, catching details others miss ↳ Send 3-bullet wrap-ups after meetings. Reliability builds. 2. You name tension before it gets worse ↳ Name what you sense: "The energy feels different today" 3. You speak softly in tense moments ↳ Lower your tone slightly when making key points. Watch others lean in. 4. You stay calm when others panic, leading with stillness ↳ Take three slow breaths before responding. Let your calm spread. 5. You make space for quiet voices ↳ Ask "What perspective haven't we heard yet?", then wait. 6. You remember and reference what others share ↳ Keep a Key Details note for each relationship in your phone. 7. You replace "but" with "and" to keep doors open ↳ Practice "I hear you, and here's what's possible" 8. You show up early with presence and intention ↳ Close laptop, turn phone face down 2 minutes before others arrive. 9. You speak up for absent team members ↳ Start with "X made an important point about this last week" 10. You turn complaints into possibility ↳ Replace "That won't work" with "Let's experiment with..." 11. You build in space for what really matters ↳ Block 10 min buffers between meetings. Others will follow. 12. You keep small promises to build trust bit by bit ↳ Keep a "promises made" note in your phone. Track follow-through. 13. You protect everyone's time, not just your own ↳ End every meeting 5 minutes early. Set the standard. 14. You ask questions before jumping to fixes ↳ Lead with "What have you tried so far?" before suggesting solutions. 15. You share credit for wins and own responsibility for misses ↳ Use "we" for successes, "I" for challenges. Watch trust grow. Your presence speaks louder than your resume. Trust is earned in these quiet moments. Which move will you practice first? Share below 👇🏼 -- ♻️ Repost to help your network build authentic trust without the struggle 🔔 Follow me Dr. Carolyn Frost for more strategies on leading with quiet impact

I once worked with a team that was, quite frankly, toxic. The same two team members routinely derailed meeting agendas. Eye-rolling was a primary form of communication. Side conversations overtook the official discussion. Most members had disengaged, emotionally checking out while physically present. Trust was nonexistent. This wasn't just unpleasant—it was preventing meaningful work from happening. The transformation began with a deceptively simple intervention: establishing clear community agreements. Not generic "respect each other" platitudes, but specific behavioral norms with concrete descriptions of what they looked like in practice. The team agreed to norms like "Listen to understand," "Speak your truth without blame or judgment," and "Be unattached to outcome." For each norm, we articulated exactly what it looked like in action, providing language and behaviors everyone could recognize. More importantly, we implemented structures to uphold these agreements. A "process observer" role was established, rotating among team members, with the explicit responsibility to name when norms were being upheld or broken during meetings. Initially, this felt awkward. When the process observer first said, "I notice we're interrupting each other, which doesn't align with our agreement to listen fully," the room went silent. But within weeks, team members began to self-regulate, sometimes even catching themselves mid-sentence. Trust didn't build overnight. It grew through consistent small actions that demonstrated reliability and integrity—keeping commitments, following through on tasks, acknowledging mistakes. Meeting time was protected and focused on meaningful work rather than administrative tasks that could be handled via email. The team began to practice active listening techniques, learning to paraphrase each other's ideas before responding. This simple practice dramatically shifted the quality of conversation. One team member later told me, "For the first time, I felt like people were actually trying to understand my perspective rather than waiting for their turn to speak." Six months later, the transformation was remarkable. The same team that once couldn't agree on a meeting agenda was collaboratively designing innovative approaches to their work. Conflicts still emerged, but they were about ideas rather than personalities, and they led to better solutions rather than deeper divisions. The lesson was clear: trust doesn't simply happen through team-building exercises or shared experiences. It must be intentionally cultivated through concrete practices, consistently upheld, and regularly reflected upon. Share one trust-building practice that's worked well in your team experience. P.S. If you’re a leader, I recommend checking out my free challenge: The Resilient Leader: 28 Days to Thrive in Uncertainty  https://lnkd.in/gxBnKQ8n

Psychological safety isn’t a “nice to have.” It’s the foundation of every high-performing team. But let’s be honest: Most teams don’t feel safe. Here’s what that looks like: — People stay silent in meetings — Mistakes are hidden, not discussed — New ideas are shared in DMs, not out loud — Feedback is rare — or sugar-coated That’s not a sign of weak people. It’s a sign of weak leadership. Here’s how to build real psychological safety: 1. Listen to understand, not respond — Focus fully on what’s said without interrupting — Pause thoughtfully before replying 2. Welcome different opinions — Ask: “How do you see this differently?” — Encourage curiosity, not dismissal 3. Normalize healthy disagreement — Say: “Disagreement helps us grow — let’s explore it” — Stay calm and curious, not defensive 4. Respond to mistakes with learning, not blame — Ask: “What’s the lesson here for all of us?” — Celebrate courage to try, even when it leads to mistakes 5. Be vulnerable first — Share your doubts openly — Say: “Here’s where I’m stuck — any ideas?” 6. Create emotional safety — Make it clear: “All feelings are valid here” — Notice and address emotional undercurrents early 7. Encourage open feedback — both ways — Ask: “What can I do differently to help you succeed?” — Show gratitude for honest feedback 8. Build and maintain trust — Be consistent, honest, and transparent — Say: “Here’s what I’m working on — let’s keep each other informed” 9. Praise publicly, correct privately — Recognize achievements openly — Use the “feedback sandwich” for tough conversations 10. Support autonomy and growth — Say: “Feel free to experiment and learn — I’m here to support you” — Trust your team to build confidence and growth You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be intentional. Because when people feel safe, they stop holding back — and start showing up. 🔁 Find this helpful? Repost for your network. 📌 Follow Natan Mohart for practical leadership insights.

We face a leadership trust crisis. Yet nobody talks about it.  It's shocking but true: Only 46% of employees deeply trust their leaders. (Edelman Trust Barometer, 2024) ↳ Yet 82% say trust is critical to their performance. The disconnect? ↳ Most leaders are not actually trained in trust-building. Here's what happens when trust breaks: - Performance suffers - Disengaged teams - Lower productivity - Innovation grinds to a halt The real cost? - High turnover rates - Weak collaboration - Damaged company culture Why leaders struggle with trust? → They're trained in strategy, not connection → Vulnerability feels risky → Short-term wins trump relationship building Here are 4 ways to consider for building trust daily: 1. Practice radical transparency - Share weekly updates on company challenges - Schedule regular "Ask Me Anything" sessions - Be open about what you don't know yet 2. Take visible action on feedback - Implement "You Spoke, We Acted" monthly reviews - Share specific timeline for suggested changes - Follow up on team suggestions within 48 hours 3. Master emotional intelligence - Schedule 1:1 coffee chats with no agenda - Practice "repeat back" in meetings to show listening - Acknowledge team emotions during tough times 4. Create accountability - Share your personal development goals openly - Document lessons from failures in team meetings - Create public tracking for team commitments The Impact? ↳ Higher retention ↳ Increased innovation ↳ Stronger team bonds ↳ Better business results ↳ Psychologically safe workplace Remember: Trust isn't a 'nice-to-have' → It's the foundation of high-performing teams. → Without it, no team can thrive. P.S. What's one trust-building practice you've implemented that transformed your team's dynamics? P.S.S. How is your organization actively building trust? 🔄 Repost to share with your network 🔔 Follow Alinnette Casiano for more

Hiding the details of a decision reflects a poor team culture and weak leadership. In contrast, decision transparency—being open about the decision-making process before and after a decision is made—is a cornerstone of building trust within a team. Making tough decisions is one of the most critical responsibilities of a leader. These decisions often involve unclear outcomes, high stakes, and difficult trade-offs. In many cases, no matter the outcome, some team members may be disappointed. Decision transparency doesn’t eliminate disagreement, but it fosters trust by showing that decisions are made thoughtfully and with integrity. Why Decision Transparency Matters Transparent decision-making ensures that even if someone disagrees with the outcome, they can understand how and why the decision was made. This helps build a culture where team members trust their leaders and feel confident in the process, even during challenging times. How to Implement Decision Transparency Whether you're navigating an upcoming decision or explaining one that has already been made, these key components will help foster transparency: 1. The Decision Maker - Clearly identify who is responsible for making the decision. Leadership often means owning the final call, so if you’re the decision-maker, embrace that role and communicate it to the team. - If the decision is delegated to someone else, explain why that person is the right choice. - In hierarchical organizations, clarify how you were involved if the decision was made by someone higher up. - For collective decision-making processes, outline who was involved and their roles. 2. The Process - Detail the steps taken to reach the decision. - Describe what information was gathered, the analysis conducted, and the factors considered. - Highlight the effort invested in making the best possible choice. This reassures the team that decisions aren’t made arbitrarily, but with careful thought and consideration. 3. The Outcome - Communicate the final decision clearly and precisely. - Share what the decision means for stakeholders, and clarify if further approvals or steps are required. - Explain how the decision will be implemented and outline what’s needed from the team to move forward. 4. The Reasoning - Explain why the decision was made. - Highlight the key factors that tipped the scales and the rationale behind prioritizing those factors. - Share any trade-offs and the reasoning behind those choices, so the team understands the broader context. Final Thoughts Decision transparency isn’t about avoiding conflict or pleasing everyone—it’s about building trust. By showing the thought process behind tough decisions, leaders demonstrate respect for their team’s intelligence and input. Even if team members disagree with the outcome, they’re more likely to support it when they understand how and why it was made. More posts from me: https://lnkd.in/ewzbkpUd