How Trust Evolves in Changing Circumstances

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

When the deal of the year turned into the mess of the year... I once walked into an acquisition integration that looked brilliant on paper, and was a disaster in practice. The systems were colliding, leaders were pointing fingers, and employees were caught in the middle. Every update from the top was polished, precise, and…completely hollow. The truth? People didn’t need another update. They needed to feel understood. Where it all went wrong? I sat in meetings where leaders rolled out flawless powerpoints, crisp emails, and “efficient” town halls. From the outside, it looked like best-in-class communication. But behind the scenes? Disengagement. Frustration. Turnover. There was a glaring gap between foundational communication (telling people what they “need” to know) and human communication (making people feel seen, heard, and connected). The Reset? That’s when my team and I stepped in. We pressed pause on the corporate theater and focused on being human first: -We coached leaders to share stories, not just strategies. When people could see themselves in the narrative, they cared again. -We taught leaders to acknowledge what was messy, confusing, and hard - because vulnerability builds trust faster than any polished script. -We rebuilt dialogue. Not quarterly updates, but ongoing conversations where employees could question, push back, and be part of shaping the new culture. Slowly, things shifted. Employees stopped bracing for the next “update” and started leaning in. Leaders discovered that trust doesn’t come from having all the answers - it comes from being willing to show up as human. The lesson for leaders? In an age of automation and endless change, the real competitive edge isn’t efficiency. It’s empathy. If you’re leading through change - an acquisition, a reorg, even a tough quarter, ask yourself: Am I just communicating information? Or am I creating connection? Because when everything else is in flux, relationships are the one thing that will hold your culture together. Your people don’t need another update. They need to feel understood.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 Trust is not a one-size-fits-all virtue. We've spent a week decoding its signals and have learned that it's a different dialect for every generation. Here's what each generation defines as trust: 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Trust comes from 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭, humility, and consistency. 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬: Trust is built through 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 and responsibility. 𝐆𝐞𝐧 𝐗: Trust is 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲. 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬: Trust is 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲. 𝐆𝐞𝐧 𝐙: Trust is 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 and authenticity. 𝐆𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐚: They’ll trust what they 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 more than what they’re told. But frameworks don’t rebuild trust. 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐨. We learned that from a real case of trust transformation at a company I know well. A few years ago, a series of leadership decisions created a "bucket moment" of distrust. Morale plummeted, communication broke down, and performance suffered. The foundation had cracked. Instead of trying to fix the cracks with explanations, the leader chose to repair first. They applied the 3𝐒 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 to restore connection. 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬: The leader created space before responding, allowing emotions to settle. 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐥: They spoke clearly and honestly, publicly owning their misstep. 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐜: Their actions matched their message, starting a process of consistent follow-through. With the repair process underway, they began the proactive work of rebuilding with the 4𝐏 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥. They committed to 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 by delivering on every single small promise. They enhanced their 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 with daily check-ins and active listening. Most importantly, they rebuilt 𝐏𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 by openly discussing failure and showing vulnerability. They also became multilingual in trust. They held 1:1 conversations with each team member, asking, "What makes you feel genuinely trusted here?" They learned that their trust language was not a single solution but a mosaic of individual needs. The results weren't immediate, but over time, they were profound. The team's productivity and innovation soared. Trust wasn't just rebuilt; it was transformed into a new kind of resilience. Trust isn't built once. It’s built every day, across decisions, silences, setbacks, and recoveries. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮? Which generation’s trust needs are you most attuned to right now? Save this if it resonates. Share it with someone navigating cross-generational trust. Repost to help your team reflect on where trust breaks and how to rebuild it. #HarveysLeadershipRhythms #TheLeadershipSignal #MultigenerationalLeadership #Trust #LeadershipReflections #SixGenerationsOneWorkforce #LeadWithIntention

Your employees don't trust you, and your big promises aren't helping. After multiple years of disruption—including layoffs, shifting work models, and the rise of AI—trust in leadership is at a serious low. Our recent data at Emtrain confirms this: integrity scores dropped 5% last year, and accountability scores fell by 3%. Trust doesn't erode because of tough decisions alone. It breaks down when your team can't predict what you'll do next. Leaders often assume bold promises or inspiring speeches can rebuild trust quickly. In reality, trust depends entirely on predictable, reliable actions. Here's how to rebuild trust through predictability: 1. Make clear, specific commitments for the upcoming quarter—and keep them consistently. 2. Communicate regularly, even when there's nothing new to report. Your consistency signals stability. 3. When unavoidable changes arise, explain why early and clearly, and give your team sufficient notice. 4. Follow through by explicitly highlighting when you've delivered on past promises. I've personally witnessed this approach in action with a client undergoing significant leadership changes. After a rocky transition, the new executive team committed to three measurable goals for the following quarter. They delivered exactly as promised, then clearly communicated the results. Within two quarters, their trust metrics had risen by 12%. Rebuilding trust doesn't happen overnight, but it always starts with one clear, predictable commitment. Choose one promise you can absolutely deliver within the next 30 days—and deliver it without fail. That's how you restore trust. Not with big speeches, but with steady predictability and unwavering follow-through. I'd like to hear from others: What one specific commitment could you make (and keep) to begin rebuilding trust with your team this quarter?

When Past Experiences Shape Present Fears: A Leadership Reflection Recently, I encountered a powerful life lesson about trust, patience, and human behavior. Someone I have worked closely with for over a year faced a difficult professional transition. Their departure from a previous mentor wasn’t smooth — it was filled with hurt, betrayal, and emotional scars. That painful experience left them with sleepless nights, anxiety, and above all, a deeply rooted fear of trusting again. Amidst this turbulence, they approached me with a partnership opportunity — a chance to build something new together. I agreed wholeheartedly, and we initiated the formalities, including legal reviews to ensure everything was done right. But soon, I noticed a change. Messages filled with doubt. Assumptions of bad intent. Fear-driven reactions. At first, I was puzzled — nothing in our actions should have triggered such distrust. Then came an honest conversation. On that call, they opened up about their fear: They weren’t reacting to us. They were reacting to past wounds. That moment gave me one of the most important reminders as a leader: 🔹 People don’t always react to the present. They react to the story their past has written for them. In that situation, it would have been easy to walk away, frustrated. But real leadership requires patience — offering a new experience that rebuilds belief and trust. We took the time to listen, reassure, and stand consistent in our intent. Slowly, the trust was rebuilt, and the partnership is now moving forward stronger than before. The deeper truth I took from this is simple but profound: 👉 Experiences create beliefs. Beliefs create actions. Actions create results. When someone’s experiences are broken, their beliefs will be guarded. When their experiences are positive, their beliefs — and actions — change. As leaders, it’s not just about guiding strategy or business plans. It’s about healing, rebuilding, and creating new possibilities — one human experience at a time. #LeadershipLessons #TrustBuilding #EmotionalIntelligence #ExperienceMatters #GrowthMindset

“Am I supposed to change? Are you supposed to change?” - Aaliyah Trust in the workplace is a two-way street. It’s easy to expect employees to adapt, to be flexible, to go above and beyond. But what happens when that flexibility is one-sided? When employees are constantly adjusting to fit expectations that are unclear or ever-changing? From an employee’s POV: I’m willing to show up, innovate, and exceed expectations. But am I supposed to keep adjusting when there’s no clear path or mutual understanding? Trust isn’t built when I’m expected to adapt endlessly; it’s built when my voice is valued, my boundaries are respected, and my growth is prioritized. From a manager’s POV: I’m striving to lead effectively and build a high-performing team. But am I supposed to change? Yes. Trust requires me to adapt, to listen, and to meet employees where they are. It means being clear about expectations and open to feedback. It’s about building a bridge, not a barrier. Trust is a two-way street. It’s an opportunity to solve the communication crisis and close the expectation gap. When leaders and employees both take responsibility for their part in building trust, that’s when workplaces thrive. The real change happens when both parties ask: What can we change to build better trust? This theme is explored deeply in my upcoming book, Talk to Me Nice: The Seven Trust Languages for a Better Workplace. Real trust isn’t just expected; it’s built, nurtured, and earned. I am curious, how are you building trust where you work?

I recently asked a leadership team to define the word trust. Not surprisingly, each member of the team had a different definition. While many were close in their definitions, there was enough variability that it was possible for two people to have a conversation about trust and have two separate conversations. Successful teams depend on trust, but people commonly misunderstand its nature. We tend to focus on whether someone is trustworthy, overlooking a more profound truth: TRUST BEGINS WITH THE PERSON CHOOSING TO TRUST, not just the one earning it. The analysis of 2,000 data points shows that trust develops through three essential elements: the TRUSTOR (the one giving it) and the TRUSTEE (the one receiving it), along with their COMMON ENVIRONMENTAL factors. Research shows that leadership models that focus on team member traits fail to recognize how mindset and environmental factors (culture) influence team dynamics equally. My new book, BEYOND THE LEADER, positions trust as a core element within the SAFETY DISCIPLINE, which reframes how we understand trust. Trust doesn’t stand alone—it’s an outcome. People develop trust when they experience emotional and psychological safety, believe their voices count, and when smart failure leads to learning experiences instead of punishment. Trust needs safety to develop into an established foundation. Four essential behaviors serve as the foundation for developing and sustaining trust in an organization: COMPETENCE – demonstrating the skills and reliability to deliver. CHARACTER – aligning actions with values and integrity. CONSISTENCY – being reliable in behavior, especially under pressure. COMPASSION – showing care and empathy for others as people, not just roles. Organizations develop their strongest trust when members feel protected to express themselves and engage in the messy middle where interpersonal risk-taking happens. Safety is a fundamental aspect that leaders must actively model for team members. Trust responsibility extends beyond the leader's role to every team member. Team members at all levels contribute to trust development through how they Show Up, Speak Up, and Sync Up. The development of trust demands safety alongside belief and requires constant intentional action from everyone involved. #trust #leadership #followership The Encompass Group E3 Leadership Academy #BeyondTheLeader #newbook #author

Organizational change doesn't have to be a disaster. Break through resistance and earn the team's trust. Here's how 👇 . . . Clear, consistent communication during change? It's a superpower I'm still learning to master. I witnessed major projects crash and burn. And I have made my own mistakes. 💣 The truth is, finding the right tone and reaching everyone isn't easy. What's easy is falling in these pitfalls: ❌ 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀: Confusion and resistance are built when information is not shared. Early updates may not be perfect but bring more trust than silence. ❌ 𝗢𝗻𝗲-𝗦𝗶𝘇𝗲-𝗙𝗶𝘁𝘀-𝗔𝗹𝗹: Town halls and mass emails are a start. But never leave it there - how do you know if people get the point? ❌ 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵: Being closed in an ivory tower and not talking to the people impacted --> steering into an iceberg. So, how can you we do better during change? ✨ 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 & 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: Be honest, be prompt, and explain the "why" and "when".  Trust starts with genuine transparency. ✨ 𝗧𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵: Meet the people where they are -  mix things up with walk-in calls, coffee chats, and individual discussions. ✨ 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: Don't just talk, listen! Encourage feedback, create safe spaces, and truly engage in dialogue. It's a two-way street! Leading through change needs constant information. Not a one-time announcement. Not closed doors. Build trust with transparency, and actively listen. Build actions based on feedback. Repeat. Change is an opportunity for growth for everyone. What is your hack to succeed with change? 📸 Not so long ago, after so many hours of working on organizational change with Katarzyna Kochanek Andrea Mau Conrad Shreiner Jack Robertson, CPA #change #tlchange #effectivecommunication #transformation #peopleexperience

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?

Your definition of trust is outdated. It’s time for a refresh. I used to think trust meant certainty.  I could trust you if I knew I could count on you. I could trust the plan if I understood every step. I could trust myself when I felt fully ready. But as I grew in my career—and experienced a lot of tough moments—that definition didn’t fit anymore. I think back to leading a healthcare team through a global pandemic. My team was anxious, confused, and looking to me for answers.  But I didn’t have any.  I was processing it all myself and every day felt like walking through thick fog.  In that situation, my definition of trust make sense: ▪ Because there was no certainty.  ▪ There was no clear path forward. ▪ And there was no guarantee how it would all turn out. The only thing I had? ▪ The ability to keep showing up ▪ Communicate clearly—even when I didn’t have any info) ▪ Give my team a steady presence in the chaos. That’s when it clicked: trust isn’t about certainty, it’s about the relationship with the unknown. It’s not about knowing exactly what’s coming next—it’s about showing up when you don’t. That experience shifted the way I lead in my career and, more importantly, in life. I don’t feel the pressure to have every answer to be trusted. What matters more is: ▪ Showing up consistently ▪ Saying what you mean ▪ Being honest, even when it’s uncomfortable.  Because your team doesn’t need you to be perfect. They need to trust that in the unknown—you’ll still be there for them. And if your definition of trust is evolving too, It’s not a weakness. It’s a sign you’re growing. 🔔 Make sure to hit the follow button to continue seeing posts like this in your feed.