Building Trust Through Time-Bound Projects

Imagine being 21, leading an important project that’s top of mind for the LinkedIn CEO, and receiving 5 AM emails from him every Saturday asking for updates. What would you do? When I was 21, I led a new initiative at LinkedIn that later blossomed into the content creation ecosystem. My job? Get news publishers to embed a LinkedIn “share button” on their websites. Simple, right? Turns out, this was a pet project for our CEO, given his background in media and publishing. I'd send updates on our progress securing partnerships, and he'd reply asking for more status updates on specific (very small) publishers...over and over. At first, I thought he was micromanaging. But then it hit me: he wasn't concerned about individual publishers. He wanted to know if we were being proactive with securing small, long-tail publications that may not be the most highly trafficked, but are important to professionals in niche communities. That was required for LinkedIn to achieve its vision. So, I dug deeper. I followed him on Twitter and saw what news sites he was reading and sharing on Saturday mornings. One of those mornings, I decided to go out on a limb and proactively send an update on the go-live dates for those specific publications. Guess what? I simply received a “:)” in response and the 5 AM emails stopped. I had built trust by showing I understood what mattered to him and strategically for LinkedIn. The takeaway? Understanding personal motivations of your leadership and how they ladder-up to the company’s vision is crucial. Managing up is not only important to your own success but that of the company. It's not about spending extra time; it's about being attuned to what's important to them. In this case, I demonstrated: (1) Personal understanding of the CEO's priorities for the company  (2) Competence in my role (3) Going above and beyond to align with the organization’s goals So, next time you're leading a project, take a step back. What matters to your stakeholders? How can you proactively address their concerns and manage up? A little empathy and proactivity can go a long way in building trust and driving success. 🚀 #leadership #projectmanagement #linkedin #careeradvice

Sometimes, you’re handed a project with a mix of excited and skeptical stakeholders. I was assigned a high-profile project. The stakes were high, and everyone was watching. First virtual meeting, and it was clear: This wouldn’t be smooth sailing. Kevin, a director, kept his tone cool. “Show me the numbers,” he said. Metrics—costs, savings, projections. Without them, there was no trust. Then there was Marcus from operations. “What’s the impact on the ground?” he asked. He cared about day-to-day realities, not charts and plans. I listened. Took notes. They didn’t need a pitch—they needed clarity. For Kevin, I gathered data. Projections, cost analyses, historical trends. Next meeting, he was engaged and asking questions. For Marcus, I walked through the plan. Showed how it would affect his team and how we’d support them. He saw we weren’t just talking change—we were ready to work through it. It wasn’t about selling an idea. It was about building trust through understanding. When you’re assigned a project, getting buy-in isn’t about convincing. It’s about listening, adapting, and connecting with what matters. How do you build trust with your stakeholders?

"We love your work, but we’re going with someone else." A fabricator told me that after losing a job they thought was locked in. The pricing was competitive. The turnaround time was solid. The materials were top-notch. So what went wrong? The customer didn’t feel confident. 💬 “The other company just seemed more organized.” 💬 “We didn’t want to risk delays.” 💬 “We felt more comfortable with them.” I see this happen often. Shops thinking customers choose based on price, when in reality, they’re buying certainty. ✅ Will this project be done on time, or will delays mess up the entire remodel? ✅ Will it turn out how they envisioned, or will they regret the decision every time they walk into the room? ✅ Will they feel good about their investment five years from now? The best fabricators don’t just install countertops—they eliminate doubt. Here’s how you do it: ✔️ Set clear expectations early. A simple project timeline can eliminate doubts before they even arise. ✔️ Show proof. Testimonials, before-and-after photos, and real customer experiences make it easier for people to trust you. ✔️ Communicate proactively. Don’t wait for them to follow up—be the one keeping them informed. I worked with a fabricator who made one small shift: they started showing customers a simple project timeline with real-time updates. Same price. Same turnaround. But customers felt in control. Their close rate went up. Their margins improved. And suddenly, price wasn’t the deciding factor anymore. If you're stuck competing on price, ask yourself—what’s one thing you can do today to make customers feel certain before they even ask the first question? Let’s figure it out. Drop your thoughts below or DM me if you want to talk about building trust with your future customers. #Fabricators #CustomerTrust #StoneIndustry #KitchenDesign #HomeRemodeling #BusinessGrowth #SalesStrategy #CustomerExperience