Signs That Trust Is Lacking In Teams

Toxic traits don’t always look toxic. Sometimes, they’re hidden behind high standards or a need for control. But here’s the truth: These traits poison teams. They erode trust faster than you can say toxic. I once worked with a manager who micromanaged every detail. She’d say things like: “I just have high standards,” or, “This is just who I am.” But the impact was brutal. Self-doubt set in. Team morale tanked. High performers left. And those who stayed felt defeated. True leadership isn’t about clinging to a fixed identity. It’s about self-awareness, accountability, and the courage to grow. Especially when it’s uncomfortable. Ever had a leader with good intentions become the team's biggest challenge? When leaders are willing to grow, that’s real leadership in action. But when they refuse to adapt, it’s a warning sign of deeper toxicity. 12 Signs of a Struggling Leader—and How to Help Them Improve 1. Micromanagement: Suffocates team potential. Tip: Take the lead on a small project to build trust. 2. Lack of Transparency: Creates anxiety and uncertainty. Tip: Propose regular updates to foster trust. 3. Taking Credit, Shifting Blame: Breaks trust and respect. Tip: Celebrate wins as a team and model accountability. 4. Inconsistent Communication: Leaves teams confused and demotivated. Tip: Align on expectations together before starting projects. 5. Playing Favorites: Divides teams and fuels resentment. Tip: Encourage inclusive projects to bring everyone in. 6. Ignoring Feedback: Misses valuable insights. Tip: Frame feedback with solutions. 7. Gaslighting: Undermines confidence and trust. Tip: Document interactions and stay professional. 8. Overworking Teams: Leads to burnout, fast. Tip: Propose realistic workload adjustments and prioritize balance. 9. Dismissiveness: Silences innovation and kills ideas. Tip: Advocate for new ideas and create a safe sharing space. 10. Obsessing Over Results: Forgets team well-being. Tip: Link productivity to team morale and engagement. 11. Creating a Toxic Environment: Kills motivation and leads to turnover. Tip: Highlight positive contributions regularly. 12. Avoiding Accountability: Shifts blame and erodes ownership. Tip: Model transparency and encourage shared responsibility. Have you seen a leader’s rigid beliefs turn toxic? The best leaders know when it’s time to evolve. Let’s help leaders level up—not hide behind excuses. ♻️ Share if you believe in values-driven leadership. ➕ Follow me for real, unfiltered insights on leadership and growth.

I've spent years studying what builds and breaks trust in teams, and one thing is clear: the small, everyday behaviors matter more than grand gestures. Quick check: Which of these trust-eroding behaviors have you observed in your team? ✓ Saying they'll do something but not following through ✓ Arriving late to meetings (or leaving early) without acknowledgment ✓ Interrupting or dismissing others' ideas ✓ Avoiding difficult conversations ✓ Making decisions without appropriate consultation ✓ Speaking about colleagues behind their backs ✓ Responding defensively to feedback In my work with teams across sectors, I've found these "micro-betrayals" gradually erode psychological safety and team cohesion. They're often unintentional, which makes them harder to address—the person breaking trust may not even realize they're doing it. What fascinates me is how differently team members interpret these behaviors. What feels like a minor oversight to one person ("I forgot to send that document") can feel like a significant breach to another ("They didn't value my need for preparation"). Trust isn't just about warm feelings—it's the foundation that makes everything else possible. Research shows that high-trust teams: • Make decisions faster • Implement with greater commitment • Communicate more efficiently • Experience higher engagement • Retain members longer Even more revealing, when one of these trust-eroding behaviors becomes a pattern, team performance can measurably decline within weeks, not months. The good news? Trust can be rebuilt through intentional practices and consistent behavior. I've seen teams transform their culture by focusing on specific trust-building habits and creating accountability structures that support them. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate trust in your current team? What's one thing that could improve that score? If you comment, I'll give you an idea! 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

In leadership and love, the biggest warning sign isn’t yelling. It’s silence. If your team isn’t coming to you with problems... That’s not a sign of trust. It’s a signal that trust is already gone. This is one of the most misunderstood truths in leadership and relationships. Silence doesn’t mean success. It often means self-protection. 📉 At work, it shows up as disengaged teams, quiet meetings, and surface-level check-ins. 💔 At home, it shows up as one-word answers, emotional distance, or "everything’s fine" when it’s not. General Colin Powell said it best: “The day the soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.” That doesn’t just apply to soldiers. It applies to business, partners, friends, and kids, too. Because whether you're leading a team or loving someone.... If they don’t feel safe, they’ll stop bringing you the truth. And here’s what the research says: 🧠 Gallup: Only 3 in 10 employees strongly agree their opinions count at work. That jumps to 6 in 10 when leaders build psychological safety. The result? Higher performance, retention, and engagement. 🧠McKinsey (2023): Leaders seen as supportive are 3.4x more likely to build high-performing teams. 🧠 The Gottman Institute: In relationships, the strongest predictor of disconnection is stonewalling; when people shut down instead of opening up. In both spaces, the message is the same: When people stop bringing you problems, they’ve already started building walls. Want to measure your impact? Don’t count the compliments. Count the real conversations. Ask yourself: ✅ When’s the last time someone brought me the hard stuff? ✅ Do people feel lighter after talking to me or more guarded? ✅ Do they believe I’ll respond with care or react with judgment? If they’re no longer talking to you, that’s your next problem to solve. Because great leadership, and great love, isn’t about fixing everything. It’s about being someone they trust enough to bring anything to. Comment Below: In leadership or love how do you create a space where people feel safe to speak up? ♻ Repost if this made you rethink what silence really means. I’m Dan 👊 Follow me for daily posts. I talk about confidence, professional growth and personal growth. ➕ Daniel McNamee