Building Trust With Stakeholders In Teams

86% of executives believe employee trust is soaring. (Yet only 67% of employees actually trust their leaders.) I remember confidently walking into our quarterly review. Our metrics were up. Our strategy was clear. I thought trust was high. I was wrong. Here's what was really happening: → Top talent quietly updating their LinkedIn. → Real feedback staying buried in private chats. → Innovation dying in "yes" meetings. → Engagement surveys hiding hard truths. After losing three star employees in one month, I realized: Trust isn't built in fancy workshops or team events. It's cultivated through consistent moments that matter. 10 science-backed trust builders that transformed my team: (And won us an award!): 1/ Kill Information Hoarding (It's Hurting You) ↳ 85% trust transparent communicators. ↳ WHY: In the absence of clarity, fear fills the gap. ↳ HOW: Share board meeting notes company-wide. ↳ Pro Tip: Share bad news faster than good news. 2/ Own Your Mistakes (Like Your Career Depends On It) ↳ Leaders who admit errors gain 4x more trust. ↳ WHY: Perfect leaders are feared, not trusted. ↳ HOW: Share mistakes in weekly all-hands. ↳ Pro Tip: Add what you learned and your fix. 3/ Master Active Listening (Beyond The Basics) ↳ 62% trust leaders who truly hear them. ↳ WHY: Everyone knows fake listening from real attention. ↳ HOW: Block "listening hours." No phone, no laptop. ↳ Pro Tip: Summarize what you heard before responding. 4/ Show Real Empathy (It's A Skill, Not A Trait) ↳ 76% trust leaders who understand their challenges. ↳ WHY: People don't care what you know until they know you care. ↳ HOW: Start meetings with "What's challenging you?." ↳ Pro Tip: Follow up on personal matters they share. 5/ Invest In Their Growth (Play The Long Game) ↳ 70% trust leaders who develop their people. ↳ WHY: Investment in them is an investment in trust. ↳ HOW: Give every team member a growth budget. ↳ Pro Tip: Help them grow, even if they might leave. The Results? Our trust scores jumped 43% in six months. Retention hit an all-time high. Real conversations replaced surface-level meetings. Your Next Move: 1. Pick ONE trust builder. 2. Practice it for 7 days. 3. Come back and share what changed. Remember: In a world of AI and automation, trust is your ultimate competitive advantage. ↓ Which trust builder will you start with? Share below. ♻️ Share this with a leader who needs this wake-up call 🔔 Follow me (@Loren) for more evidence-based leadership insights [Sources: HBR, Forbes, Gallup]

😅 Ever build an awesome new process, then realize you forgot to tell anyone about it? Yeah, me too. (Oops.) It's tempting to just flip the switch and say, "Ta-da! Go forth and use!" But we know how that ends... usually with confusion and some creative excuses. 🥴 The truth is: building it is the easy part. Bringing people along—that's where the real leadership magic kicks in. ✨ Here's what actually works (learned the hard way!): 👉 Admit you’re late to the party. A simple, “Hey, we built this, and honestly should’ve talked to you earlier—can we talk now?” goes a looooong way toward trust. (Transparency wins!) 👉 Swap "any feedback?" for real talk: "How would your team break this?" (Yes, seriously.) "If you could tweak one thing to make life easier, what would it be?" "Does this feel like it'll actually help, or did we just invent more busywork?" 👉 Context, not commandments. People resist "because I said so." They embrace "here's why this helps, and what we're trying to achieve." (Clarity unlocks buy-in faster than authority ever could.) 👉 Tiny moments of teamwork. Pilots, feedback loops, quick huddles, group chats—give stakeholders a chance to shape the outcome, even if it’s small. Ownership is a powerful motivator. 👉 Prepare for adoption (for real!). No documentation, training, or support? Congrats, you've built a shiny new paperweight! 🥳 At the end of the day, people don't resist change—they resist change done TO them instead of WITH them. I'd love to hear your stories! 👇 Ever rolled out something great (or not-so-great) and learned these lessons firsthand? Share your wisdom (or hilarious fails!) in the comments. #Leadership #RealTalk #ProcessAdoption #Collaboration #StakeholderEngagement #ChangeManagement #LaughAndLearn #PeopleFirst

Did you know there’s an equation that can quantify TRUST? (Share this with your team 👇) If you’re struggling to build trust within your team, here’s a strategy that works every time I lead or manage a project. It’s called ‘The Trust Equation' by David Maister. TRUST 🟰 (Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy) ➗ Self-orientation Let me explain so you can start building trust... 1. Credibility: Are your words believable? 2. Reliability: Do your actions match your promises? 3. Intimacy: Do people feel safe sharing openly with you? 4. Self-orientation: Are you focused on others’ needs—or your own? In the equation, you are perceived as trustworthy if the sum of your (credibility + reliability + intimacy) outweighs your self-orientation. Game changer. When I first started managing teams, I thought results alone built trust. I was wrong. Here’s how I started using this framework: ⬆️ Raise Credibility: Show expertise and back it with results. ⬆️ Demonstrate Reliability: Be on time. Meet deadlines and honor commitments. ⬆️ Build Intimacy: Listen. Create safe spaces, find shared interests/experiences, and show empathy. ⬇️ Lower Self-orientation: Be willing to do thankless jobs in the shadows. Focus on team goals and celebrate others’ wins. Key insight: The top parts of the equation can compensate for each other. But a high self-orientation destroys trust and triggers alarms instantly. Why am I sharing this now? Because trust is the real currency in business, and it forms the base of team performance. If there's no trust, forget about all the tools & tactics - address trust first. Next time conflict arises, ask yourself: Do we really trust each other? What’s one way you build trust in your teams? 👇

Trust is not automatic just because you have the title “Business Analyst.” It is built or lost in small moments. • Follow through when you say you will • Listen without judgment • Admit when you do not know something • Protect confidential information • Show that you understand their world, not just the project The truth is, stakeholders open up when they feel heard, safe, and respected. And the more they open up, the better your analysis becomes. Your methods and tools matter, but relationships are what unlock the real insights. What is one small action you take to build trust quickly with stakeholders? Share below!