Trust as a Two-Way Responsibility

We often glorify leadership as the art of inspiring others, but we rarely talk about the skill of being led well. Yet the two are inseparable. In teams with high 🧠 psychological safety, leaders create the space for candor, dissent, and vulnerability but it’s the followers who decide what to do with it. Do they step in with honesty or retreat into silence? Do they use that safety to challenge ideas constructively? Amy Edmondson’s research shows that psychological safety correlates not just with leader behavior but with reciprocal trust. It’s a two-way street. When you’re giving safety (listening, inviting, protecting risk-taking), you also need to take it: - to allow others to challenge you, - to let feedback land without defense, - to own your part in the dynamic. In my work with teams and leaders, I’ve seen them thrive only when both sides understood that psychological safety is a shared practice, not some sort of a perk. Because at its core, it is about courage with mutual responsibility. Reflection: 💭If you’re a leader, ask yourself: Do I model openness in both directions? 💭If you’re a team member, ask: When safety is offered, do I take it? Because leadership and followership are not opposite roles. They’re two forms of participation in the same trust system.

Friendly Leader? Yes. Trusted Leader? Let's Check As leaders, we often pride ourselves on building strong connections with our team members. We share coffee breaks, engage in casual conversations, and celebrate milestones together. While these moments are valuable, I've learned that connection alone doesn't automatically translate to trust. Trust is earned through consistency, accountability, and demonstrated integrity. It's built when we follow through on commitments, stand up for our team in challenging times, and make difficult decisions transparently. A team member may enjoy our company but still hesitate to bring up concerns or share innovative ideas if trust hasn't been established. Real trust emerges when we acknowledge our mistakes openly; protect our team's interests, even when inconvenient; maintain confidentiality religiously; and give credit generously and take responsibility willingly To gauge the level of trust that exists, consider  initiating a trust conversation with your direct reports. Here are some questions I've found effective: • "What could I do differently to make you feel more supported in your role?" • "How comfortable do you feel bringing up challenges or disagreements with me?" • "What's one thing I could improve about how we work together?" • "Is there anything you've hesitated to tell me that you think I should know?" Start these conversations in private, acknowledge that trust is a two-way street, and be prepared to listen without becoming defensive. It’s important to note here that honest responses to these questions are based on the extent to which you’ve created an environment that is psychologically safe. When assessing aspects of your leadership effectiveness, ask yourself: Do my team members truly trust me, or do we simply have a good rapport? It is possible for one to exist without the other. Dr. Kym

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

Leadership isn’t just about setting directions; it’s about building relationships rooted in trust and mutual respect. The bond between a manager and their direct report is a two-way street, where both parties must feel empowered to share openly and grow together. As a manager, creating an environment where your team feels safe to voice opinions, share challenges, and even provide 360-degree feedback is crucial. Equally important is empowering your team to take ownership of decisions—even if it means learning through failures. Here’s what I’ve learned: - Trust fosters ownership. When your team knows you trust them, they’re more likely to take bold, confident steps. Few things which I do : sometimes take a backseat in a meeting or ask my teammate to lead a meeting or them to draft an email or asking them what would u do? - Open communication builds confidence. A regular, honest dialogue breaks down silos and surfaces hidden opportunities or risks. - Trasparency goes a long way. - Empowerment inspires accountability. When people feel responsible for outcomes, they don’t just deliver results—they innovate. - Having their back when they aren’t around. If you’re a leader, ask yourself: Are you empowering your team to own their decisions? Are you open to their feedback, even if it challenges your perspective? If you’re a team member, ask yourself: Are you sharing your insights and taking accountability for decisions? Great teams aren’t built on hierarchy; they’re built on collaboration, trust, and shared accountability. Let’s create a workplace where managers and their teams grow together. #Leadership #TeamEmpowerment #TrustAndAccountability #OpenCommunication #LeadershipLessons #WorkplaceCulture #Manager #Directreportee #twowaystreet Let me know your thoughts—how do you foster trust and empowerment in your teams?

Leaders, you are not helping your team by doing this. Rather, you are holding them back. Trust is a two-way street in leadership. If you don’t trust your team, they won’t trust you. And if you constantly step in and take decisions away from them, you are sending a clear message: 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵. That damages confidence fast. I’ve made this mistake before. A new team member joined, and I had to assign him a task he hadn’t done before. Since we hadn’t worked together yet, I wasn’t sure how he’d handle it. I didn’t want him to struggle. I didn’t want him to make mistakes. And, if I’m being honest, I really didn’t want to deal with a failed outcome. So, I overexplained everything. I covered every loophole. I left no room for uncertainty or creativity. In my mind, I was setting him up for success. But in reality, I was setting him up to fail. Because the truth was, I didn’t trust him yet. And when you don’t trust your team, they can feel it. Sure enough, he struggled not because he wasn’t capable, but because I had created an environment where he felt like he couldn’t be. 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸, 𝗜 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸: - 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻. When leaders worry too much about mistakes, they unknowingly transfer that fear to their team. - 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽. When you control every step, your team stops thinking for themselves. - 𝗟𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. People hesitate to ask questions or share ideas because they assume they will be second-guessed. - 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. When leaders expect failure, team members stop putting in their best effort. Instead of stepping in and taking over, leaders should lean in when mistakes happen. • Make your team feel safe, heard, and seen. • Guide them, but don’t control them. The more trust you show, the more trust you will earn. And that’s how strong teams are built. Have you ever caught yourself holding back trust without realizing it? Or, Have you worked under this kind of leadership before? Share your story in the comments. —————- ♻️ Found this helpful? Repost for your network. ➕ Follow Adewumi Adeyanju for insights on leadership, teamwork, and business growth.

Trust, is it given or earned? When I first took over a new team in the Midwest at Verizon, I learned a very important lesson about trust. I gave trust quickly to my leaders and expected the same in return. But I quickly learned a hard truth: 👉 Trust is a two-way street. I can trust my team to deliver, but they won’t give their best unless they trust me equally. And here’s the challenge: everyone builds trust differently. • Some want fast email responses. • Others value regular check-ins and time together. • Some prefer autonomy until they ask for support. I’ll never forget missing a 1:1 with a team member. To me, it seemed positive—I thought I was giving them time back. But to them, it devastated trust. They couldn’t imagine anything more important than that scheduled time.  It is important to invest the time to understand each person’s needs and be intentional on building trust. Over the years, I’ve had people trust me in 30 days, others in a year, and a few instantly based on my track record. The timeline varies, but the investment is always worth it.. Leadership reminder: Trust isn’t given lightly in any relationship—professional or personal. It takes time, consistency, and intentional effort. I remind leaders navigating team transitions to remember that gaining trust from their team is just as critical as giving it. And in both directions, it needs to be earned. 👉 How do you build trust with a new team?

Building mutual trust, part 2 Last week, I wrote a post about the criticality of mutual trust between the leader and the led in any organization. Most of my focus was on how leaders can behave in order to gain (or regain) the trust of their employees. This week’s post deals with what a leader can do to build his or her own trust of others. Mutual trust is a vital part of any thriving organization: with it, the team excels and individual employees are innovative and happy. Without mutual trust, performance suffers and morale plummets. What should leaders do to build the trust they have for their employees? I have three suggestions. 1. Start with a mindset of empowerment. 2. Give people a second chance. 3. Hold leaders and their subordinates accountable. When a leader assumes that his or her employees are motivated, innovative, and want to excel, the natural response is to delegate real authority to act. This spirit of delegation leverages the employee’s ability to seize fleeting opportunities to act instead of wasting for additional guidance. The result is usually enhanced performance and increased trust. If your mindset is one of empowerment, trust will follow. Sometimes, though, your subordinates will occasionally make mistakes. The impact of bad decisions can be small or large, but every one of those situations is an opportunity for learning. If the core leader encourages his or her employees to learn from mistakes and bad decisions, most will follow suit. They will avoid making the same mistake twice and become some of the most valued members of the team. Loyalty and trust are both natural outcomes and will flow in both directions. Giving people a second chance is not a free pass. While it starts with an assumption that others are going to do their best (and will occasionally make mistakes), it still insists on accountability. Leaders need to hold other accountable for repeated mistakes and a failure to learn, even to the point of firing them if that’s what the situation calls for. That spirit of accountability helps leaders trust that team members are committed to the organization, but it also reinforces the employees’ trust of the leader. Trust should flow both ways and it great organizations it does just that. Leader behaviors and attitude can set the climate for such an environment to exist. Good luck in your leadership journey! #leadershipdevelopment #leadershipadvice #businessstrategies #leadershipskills