Bridging Trust Gaps for Global Growth

Transformation is often measured in tools, timelines, and revenue. But there's another layer one that doesn't show up in dashboards: cultural transformation. 🌏 When people from different parts of the world come together to work as one team, misalignment isn’t just possible, it’s inevitable. Communication styles, expectations, and norms don’t always line up. And sometimes, even a simple question can spark unexpected tension. Take this example: A quick check-in like "What’s the update on this?" Or a straight forward question on client escalation, might feel completely routine in one culture but come across as confrontational in another. Intentions get lost, feelings get hurt, and frustration builds.  No one is wrong. But everyone feels it.  So, what can be done? ✅We built cultural bridges, placing individuals who understood the nuances of both sides to interpret tone, context, and intent. These weren’t just translators; they were empathy amplifiers. ✅We swapped roles, encouraging team members to shadow each other, experience different workflows, and gain perspective from the other side. Walking a mile in someone else’s shoes changes everything. ✅We invested in immersion, allowing team members to experience working in another location. What once felt confusing over email started to make perfect sense in person. These efforts didn’t erase differences, and that’s not the goal. The goal is understanding. Because trust isn’t automatic in distributed teams, it’s earned through openness, patience, and genuine curiosity. And here’s the truth: There may never be a single fix. Cultural tension is part of the package when building global teams. The win isn’t in eliminating friction but in learning to navigate it gracefully. When teams move from blame to curiosity, from assumptions to questions, that’s where the magic happens. So whether you're an executive or an implementer, I encourage you to approach hard conversations head-on, to listen a little deeper, and to build teams that don’t just span time zones but truly connect across them. 🤝 What’s helped your team bridge the cultural gap? #leadership #culture #empathy #trust #respect

Employer brand trust is having a moment (and not in a good way). But rather a global crisis kind of moment. And trust isn’t just a feel-good metric—it drives employee retention, customer loyalty, and company performance. In my third post digging into the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer report let's start with some data behind the headline that organizations are facing a global employer brand trust crisis. ✅ Employers have seen an unprecedented global decline of trust. In the US, trust that "my employer will do the right thing" is down 5 points over last year. ✅ Employees increasingly worry about job security due to threats like international trade conflicts and offshoring, automation and a lack of training, and a looming recession. ✅ All demographics are experiencing a surge in fear of workplace discrimination, reaching an all-time high. ✅ People with high grievances have low trust in CEOs, including their own. ✅ Fear that business leaders purposely mislead people increased 12 points this year. If you believe that the fastest way to build customer love is to have employees who love their job, it feels wise to do something about this, right? So, what can leaders do to build trust in the workplace? A lot. Here are a few ideas to get things going. ➡️ Start with Data: Trust erodes for a variety of reasons and it's best to start with data and context for your unique situation. Survey employees to understand what's going on. You'll likely hear clues to inform your recovery plan. ➡️ Provide Economic Stability: Invest in fair wages, career growth, and upskilling your workforce. This is universal. ➡️ Foster Culture and Workplace Civility: Encourage inclusive conversations with respect for different perspectives. Nurture psychological safety. Prioritize building bridges (ERGs can be a valuable source for this).  ➡️ Be Transparent: Frequent, honest communication strengthens trust. If you’re leaning into AI to enhance workforce productivity, for example, explain why and how it enhances job satisfaction and outcomes.  ➡️ Listen: According to Edelman, leaders earn influence by demonstrating they “understand what people like me need and want.” Talk about topics like career aspirations, priorities and workload, or how to improve their work environment. Take on listening sessions and skip-level conversations. ➡️ Train Managers: Managers are the daily trust builders—or eroders. Investing in the development of soft skills like empathy for middle management can have a profound impact on employee retention and morale. Trust isn't built with one conversation or big campaign. It's built in many little things, over time. And worth it. Deloitte’s 2024 Global Human Capital Trends Report suggests that companies with high internal trust outperform their peers in innovation and productivity, making trust-building a strategic imperative. What have you seen benefit workplace trust? #edelmantrustbarometer

What if your biggest growth challenge isn’t strategy, but building trust? You can’t execute a bold growth move if no one follows. Too often, leaders focus on crafting visionary strategies while overlooking the people who must bring them to life. Gallup’s latest research shows that organisations with engaged employees are 23% more profitable... yet only 25% of Australian employees are engaged at work. In my newest article for Vibrance (linked below), I explore the Employee Blind Spot, the hidden gap between growth ambition and execution capacity. In the piece, I unpack: 🔍 How the employee blind spot could derail your growth plans. 🛠 Five proven approaches to shift towards a trust-based operating model, from servant leadership to self-management. 📖 A case study on Buurtzorg, the Dutch healthcare organisation that scaled from a single team to 10,000 nurses by making trust its core principle. Check out the full article below, and tell me: What’s one leadership habit you’ve seen that builds - or breaks - trust in an organisation? #Growth #Strategy #Leadership #Trust #EmployeeEngagement #OperatingModel

People don’t start to care until they know you care. (5 ways I bridged the cultural gap with my remote team) When outsourcing, you’re not just hiring workers. You’re working with real people: who live in different countries, with different cultures, values,  and ways of working. For my business, I built my operations support team in the Philippines. Understanding who they are and  how they tick made all the difference. The key? Get to know them personally. The result: ☑ Enjoyable work experience ☑ Increased productivity ☑ Smoother workflows Here’s what helped me bridge the gap: Make space for small talk  ↳ Use the time before meetings to chat while waiting for everyone to join. ↳ Ask how their weekend went or what their plans are. ↳ Show genuine interest in their lives beyond work. Start meetings with icebreakers ↳ Assign a team member each week to lead an icebreaker. ↳ Keep it simple—fun questions or quick games. ↳ Helps break down communication barriers and build trust. Host a virtual year-end party ↳ Celebrate wins, big or small. ↳ Make it fun with games and awards. ↳ Recognition boosts morale and engagement. Organize in-person retreats ↳ If possible, meet in person for team bonding. ↳ This is also a good time to plan for next year. ↳ Creates unforgettable moments that build trust. Hold 1:1 performance meetings ↳ Recognize efforts, not just outcomes. ↳ Understand their personal and professional goals. ↳ Give feedback in a way that aligns with their culture. Culture isn’t a barrier.  It’s an opportunity to connect. When you take the time to understand your team, they’ll show up, engage, and do their best work —because they know you care. Helpful?  ♻️Please share to help others. 🔎Follow Michael Shen for more. #ManagingRemoteTeams #RemoteTeamManagement #BridgingCulturalGap

Most teams don’t fail from a lack of talent. They fail from invisible trust gaps. One overlooked practice can change that (and fast): When Reed Hastings built Netflix’s culture, he didn’t focus on more rules or tighter controls. Instead, he designed a system of freedom and responsibility. Here, radical transparency and trust became the foundation of performance. Trust gaps quietly kill performance. Even your most talented team won’t reach their potential if trust is broken. When people don’t trust the system they’re in, they hold back. They second-guess decisions. They protect themselves instead of pushing forward. The hidden costs pile up: - Slower decisions. - Weaker collaboration. - Top performers quietly updating their resumes. And most leaders try to fix it the wrong way: Trust falls. Team-building games. Forced fun. That’s not the problem. And it’s not the solution. The solution is the Clarity Check-In. A simple but powerful leadership habit that changes how teams engage. Here’s how it works: In your next team meeting, share not just what you decided but how you decided. Walk through your actual thought process: • What data you considered • Who you consulted • What trade-offs you weighed • Where you had doubts • Why you chose this path Then ask: “What am I missing?” That’s how you build vulnerability-based trust. Not by pretending to have every answer. But by treating your team as thinking partners, not order-takers. This is how you unlock Clarity → Alignment → Movement. Try the Clarity Check-In in your next meeting. And watch what changes. Want more research-backed insights on leadership? Join 11,000+ leaders who get our weekly newsletter: https://lnkd.in/en9vxeNk

Trust, not technology, is what moves money. Some markets rely on banks and regulations. Others depend on word-of-mouth, community networks, and personal relationships. If people don’t trust a financial service, they won’t use it, no matter how good the tech is. So how can fintechs bridge this trust gap? Here’s what actually works: 📌 1. Show Up Where Trust Already Exists Not every market trusts digital-first services. Some still prefer human connections. ✅ Leverage agent banking, community-driven referrals, and trusted intermediaries. ✅ Partner with known brands to establish credibility faster. 💡 In many places, trust isn’t built; it’s borrowed. 📌 2. Make Trust Visible Would you keep money in an app you barely understand? Neither will your customers. ✅ Be transparent: Explain fees, security, and decision-making clearly. ✅ Use AI for fraud prevention, not just automation. Customers trust businesses that protect them. 💡 Trust grows when people feel safe and in control of their money. Fintech isn’t just about technology; it’s about who people trust with their money. The fintechs that win don’t just move money faster; they build confidence in every transaction. 📌 How is your fintech earning customer trust in new markets? Let’s discuss! 👇🏽 #FintechTrust #FinancialInclusion #AIinFintech #ScalingSmart #FintechGrowth

𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁—𝗗𝗼 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀! Building a culture of trust is one of the biggest challenges HR and talent leaders face. It’s not just about ethical leadership—your leaders must show real concern for their teams, respect cultural differences, and deliver results. This becomes especially difficult in diverse, global teams where cultural norms vary. Many leaders feel overwhelmed balancing integrity and performance while ensuring everyone feels valued. Without a strong foundation of trust, teams become divided, engagement drops, and turnover rises. A lack of trust can quickly lead to a disengaged workforce, hurting your organization’s growth and reputation. Here’s how you can tackle it: ▪️ Develop Trust-Building Programs: Equip your leaders with the skills to demonstrate integrity, respect, and care across cultural boundaries. ▪️ Encourage Personal Connection: Ensure leaders invest time in building genuine relationships with their teams, going beyond work discussions. ▪️ Recognize and Reward Trust-Building: Create a system that fosters trust and highlights those who reward open communication, inclusiveness, and decision-making. By implementing these strategies, you’ll foster a high-trust culture where teams feel connected, productivity improves, and your organization can retain top talent. How are you building trust across your organization? Share your thoughts below! #leadership #management #personaldevelopment #motivation #trust #culture