Why Running Toward Problems Builds Trust

It was 8:15 AM when a mom’s phone rang. It was her son, panic in his voice: “Mom, I forgot my assignment at home. It’s due in the first period. Please, can you bring it to school?” She could’ve snapped. → “Why weren’t you more careful?” → “I told you to double-check!” But she didn’t. Ten minutes later, she was at the school gate, assignment in hand. Her son rushed over and everything went well. Her son said, “Thanks for not yelling at me, Mom.” And she just smiled. Because in her mind, she knew this: The moment you help someone through a mess without making them feel small is the moment they start trusting you. That evening, after the panic was over, they sat together and talked about building better habits, packing the bag the night before, making a checklist, owning up to mistakes. She knew the lesson would stick because she stood by him when he needed it. This is the same way senior engineers should handle juniors. You don’t build trust by exploding at the first sign of trouble. You build it by showing up, especially when it’s inconvenient. When a junior messes up, the urge to lecture is real. But support comes first, lessons come after. Because good engineers don’t stay just for the perks. They stay where they feel safe enough to make mistakes and learn. And that’s how you build teams that stick together, at home or at work.

Last week, my Gen Z staff texted me at 10:47pm. "I need to talk to you about something." My heart sank. In my experience, late-night conversations that start like this end with resignations. "I've been here 1 year," he said. "And I've noticed something about you." Here it comes, I thought. The criticism. The resignation. The— "You're the only boss I've had who admits when you're wrong." Wait, what? He continued: "Remember when you insisted on that new intake system? It failed spectacularly. But instead of blaming us, you called a meeting and said 'I messed up. Let's fix this together.'" That conversation changed how I think about leadership. Here's what I've learned running a 7-figure law firm with 15+ team members: → Vulnerability creates loyalty → Admitting mistakes builds trust → "I don't know" is a complete sentence → Your team already knows you're not perfect The old Jimmy would've pretended to have all the answers. Failed the bar 3 times? Hide it. B- grades? Never mention them. Spending $five figures/month on ads that aren't working? Keep quiet. But here's the thing: My team doesn't follow me because I'm perfect. They follow me because I'm real. Last month, I made a $20K mistake. Old me would've buried it. Instead, I called an all-hands meeting: "I screwed up. Here's what happened. Here's what we're doing to fix it. Here's how we'll prevent it next time." You know what happened? Three attorneys shared their own recent mistakes. We created a new review system together. Team morale went UP, not down. The most dangerous leaders are the ones who can't say these five words: "I don't know. Help me." Your team isn't looking for perfection. They're looking for humanity. P.S. That Gen Z staff who texted me late at night? He asked for more responsibility, not to quit. He's now our intake manager. P.P.S. To every leader pretending to have it all figured out: Your team knows. They're just waiting for you to admit it.

I walked into a room full of frustration. The project was off track, the budget was bleeding, and trust had worn thin. As the new project manager, I had 30 days to rebuild what was broken not just the plan, but the relationships. 💡 Here’s the exact trust-building strategy I used to shift the momentum - one conversation, one quick win, and one honest update at a time. ▶ Day 1–5: I started with ears, not answers. 🎧 Active Listening & Empathy Sessions I sat down with stakeholders - one by one, department by department. No slides. No status updates. Just questions, empathy, and silence when needed. 💬 I didn’t try to fix anything. I just listened - and documented everything they shared. Why it worked: They finally felt heard. That alone opened more doors than any roadmap ever could. ▶ Day 6–10: I called out the elephant in the room. 🔍 Honest Assessment & Transparent Communication I reviewed everything - timelines, budgets, blockers, and team dynamics. By day 10, I sent out a clear, no-spin summary of the real issues we were facing. Why it worked: I didn’t sugarcoat it - but I didn’t dwell in blame either. Clarity brought calm. Transparency brought trust. ▶ Day 11–15: I delivered results - fast. ⚡ Quick Wins & Early Action We fixed a minor automation glitch that had frustrated a key stakeholder for months. It wasn’t massive, but it mattered. Why it worked: One small win → renewed hope → stakeholders leaning in again. ▶ Day 16–20: I gave them a rhythm. 📢 Clear Communication Channels & Cadence We set up weekly pulse updates, real-time dashboards, and clear points of contact. No more guessing who’s doing what, or when. Why it worked: Consistency replaced confusion. The team knew what to expect and when. ▶ Day 21–25: I invited them to the table. 🤝 Collaborative Problem-Solving Instead of pushing fixes, I hosted solution workshops. We mapped risks, brainstormed priorities, and made decisions together. Why it worked: Involvement turned critics into co-owners. People support what they help build. ▶ Day 26–30: I grounded us in reality. 📅 Realistic Expectations & Clear Next Steps No overpromising. I laid out a realistic path forward  timelines, budgets, trade-offs, and all. I closed the month by outlining what we’d tackle next together. Why it worked: Honesty created stability. A shared plan gave them control. 💬 In 30 days, we hadn’t fixed everything but we had built something more valuable: trust. And from trust, everything else became possible. Follow Shraddha Sahu for more insights

How I Build Trust Without Fancy Dashboards as a Program Manager at Amazon Trust isn’t built by data alone. It’s built by how you show up when things go sideways. Early in my PM career, I thought trust came from hitting deadlines and sharing crisp metrics. Now? I know the real trust builders are quieter…and harder to fake. They show up in the messy middle, not the final deck. Here’s how I build trust without fancy dashboards or status theater: 1/ I respond before I’m asked ↳ I don’t wait for “any updates?” ↳ I update proactively…especially when things slip ↳ Unprompted visibility earns trust fast 2/ I say “I don’t know” quickly…but follow up faster ↳ Honesty > pretending ↳ I don’t hide behind fluff…I find the answer and circle back ↳ Fast clarity beats slow polish 3/ I ask the hard questions early ↳ “What could derail this?” ↳ “What are we assuming?” ↳ Trust isn’t about avoiding problems…it’s about revealing them early 4/ I show my work ↳ I don’t just say “we’re on track”…I explain how ↳ I share the why behind tradeoffs ↳ Transparency beats polish every time 5/ I protect the team publicly, push privately ↳ I own the risk when things go wrong ↳ But I don’t let it slide behind the scenes ↳ People trust who they feel safe with Dashboards are helpful. But if you’re only building trust through metrics… You’re missing the deeper game. 📬 I share high-trust, execution-first tactics weekly in The Weekly Sync: 👉 https://lnkd.in/e6qAwEFc What’s one quiet way you build trust with your team?

When pressure hits, blame spreads fast. - Timelines slip. - Fear creeps in. - Mistakes surface. And before long, people start pointing fingers—trying to protect themselves instead of fixing the problem. But blame never solves the issue. It only fractures trust. I’ve seen this firsthand. Years ago, on a complex project with multiple contractors, a critical system failed during commissioning. At first, everyone rushed to prove it wasn’t their fault. But the moment we shifted the conversation from who to what—and focused on solutions—the team’s mindset changed. Ownership replaced blame. Problems got resolved faster. Here’s how you become influential leader break that cycle and build a culture of accountability—even in the toughest moments: 1. Normalize Accountability Early Make it clear from the start that mistakes are data, not weapons. The goal is learning, not punishment. 2. Focus on the Issue, Not the Individual Ask: What happened? and Why did it happen? Not: Who messed up? 3. Lead With Transparency Share what you know, what you don’t, and what comes next. When people feel informed, they feel less threatened. 4. Model It Yourself If you made a misstep, own it first. Nothing builds credibility faster than a leader willing to say: I got this wrong. 5. Turn Reflection Into Action After the crisis, debrief as a team: - What worked? - What failed? - What will we do differently next time? Because in high-pressure environments, how you handle mistakes matters more than avoiding them. Accountability fuels progress. Blame just fuels fear. PS:  How have you seen great leaders build trust during crisis? Share an example in the comments. #DarkoMacura

As leaders, when our employees make mistakes we have the opportunity to build trust. We can tell our teams that we support them and value their contributions, but it's when they stumble that we get to prove it. Everytime we choose to show up with empathy and understanding during a mess up, they learn they can trust our leadership. This then shifts their focus from fear of punishment to problem solving, reflection, and learning. My team is human and therefore will make mistakes. I need them to trust that I'll have their back, we'll sort the problem out together, and we'll figure out how to not make the same mistake twice. This is how we build strong teams who can take risks, learn, and grow their skills.

I’ve seen people problems wreck good businesses. I’ve watched them wreck good leaders, too. I know because I’ve been one of those leaders. The leader who thought he had it handled. The one who said "It's a process problem." "A strategy problem." "A market problem." Anything but a people problem. Because when you admit it’s a people problem, It hits different. It feels personal. You start asking yourself… What if I don’t know how to fix this? Am I the problem here? Did I fail my team? I’ve been in those rooms. Boardrooms with the sharpest minds and the biggest titles. And we’d talk around it. Endless strategy decks. System upgrades. More reports. But underneath it all, the issue was always the same. People. We weren’t leading them well. And we wouldn't admit it. For years, I watched it happen. Great teams falling apart. Good people leaving. Leaders carrying the weight alone, pretending they were fine. That’s why I started Peoplyst. Because people problems don’t fix themselves. They get heavier. They get messier. They destroy leaders' careers. And they take good businesses down with them. But here’s what I learned the hard way: When you face people problems head-on When you finally admit you need help When you actually lead your people Everything changes. Trust builds. Turnover slows. People show up and step up. And your business grows because your people grow first. At Peoplyst, we've seen it all. We help leaders solve people problems. For real. For good. Because I’ve lived the hard way. And I know how much better it can be for you. If you’re carrying the weight of it, let’s talk. You don’t have to do it alone.

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀. It’s about this 🔹 → Building trust → Leading by example → Creating a culture of openness One of the biggest mistakes leaders make? Thinking they need all the answers. I’ve learned this the hard way. Running a successful business comes with constant challenges. Pretending to have it all figured out is a losing game. Instead, the best leaders embrace vulnerability. It’s not a weakness—it’s a competitive advantage. Why vulnerability makes you a stronger leader 🔹 𝗜𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁. A study by #Harvard Business Review found that employees are 107% more likely to be engaged when they trust their leaders. Trust isn’t built on perfection—it’s built on honesty. When you admit challenges and uncertainties, people see you as real, not just a title. 🔹 𝗜𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀. When leaders are transparent, teams feel safe to share ideas, concerns, and failures. Research from Google’s Project Aristotle found that psychological safety—the ability to take risks without fear—is the #1 predictor of high-performing teams. 🔹 𝗜𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. Businesses are unpredictable (especially in startups). Teams that openly acknowledge challenges work together to solve them. In fact, companies that cultivate a culture of resilience are more likely to outperform competitors by 60% (#McKinsey, 2023). 🔹 𝗜𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻. People don’t connect with perfection. They connect with authenticity. Leaders who take responsibility, admit mistakes, and grow alongside their teams create stronger, more loyal teams. Research from Brene Brown shows that leaders who express vulnerability create stronger relationships and drive better results. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆? - Great leadership is about being real. - The best leaders don’t have all the answers—they empower their teams to find them together. 🔹 How do you approach vulnerability as a leader? ♻️ Repost to help others lead better. 👉 Follow Sufyan Maan for more leadership, growth, and personal branding insights. #Leadership #Mindset #Learning #startups

1 in 4 employees don’t trust their leaders. The real number? Probably even higher. The hardest part of rebuilding trust isn’t fixing what’s broken: It’s proving you’re not the same leader who broke it. That same client I shared about on Tuesday, had another issue they were dealing with. When they entered their new role, ready to inspire their new team, instead of the warm welcoming vibe they hoped— they were met with hesitation and the baggage left behind by the previous leader. One of our sessions uncovered something they never realized: quick fixes won’t solve deeper issues.  It’s about consistent, intentional actions that rebuild trust over time. Great leadership isn’t built during the honeymoon period of a new role. It’s earned through patience, effort, and authenticity. If you’re struggling with: ▪ Rebuilding trust with a hesitant team, ▪ Changing a culture of skepticism, ▪ Earning buy-in from your team for a new vision, Here are three lessons my client learned that led to their continued transformation: 1️⃣ Quick fixes are limiting Gestures like quick compliments or reactive solutions won’t resolve the trust issues left behind by the previous leader. Real change needs time and consistent effort. 2️⃣ Addressing challenges builds trust Avoiding difficult conversations gets in the way of building trust. By having those tough discussions and facing team challenges head-on, you demonstrate accountability and transparency. These actions help others build confidence in your leadership. 3️⃣ Every win is a reason to celebrate. Progress doesn’t always feel big, but every step forward—a candid conversation or aligning with your team members—builds a strong foundation for your team. Each small win builds momentum, so that small snowball starts looking like an avalanche over time. I mentioned their continued transformation because when you transform as a leader, it doesn’t happen in isolation. That one mindset shift unlocks a broader perspective— and change becomes inevitable.  Their growth led to team growth, which created a better working environment. And the baggage that was left behind by that previous leader, started to become a thing of the past. My client’s team didn’t just hear promises, they saw consistent action. Slowly but surely, trust was rebuilt, skepticism turned to collaboration, and the team’s culture started to shift. How are you looking to show up for your team in 2025? 🟢 DM me “TRUST” to find out how a personalized approach can you build trust with your team.

“Trust me, I know what I’m doing.” —Every founder ever, right before the dashboard breaks, the pitch flops, or the product throws a tantrum. But here’s what I’ve learned building Clientell (through caffeine, chaos, and cringe): Trust isn’t built on words. It’s built on actions. Messy. Uncomfortable. Real actions. Here are 9 brutal truths I’ve picked up about trust👇 🔹 Own the mess, not just the wins Anyone can look good when things work. Real trust? That’s built when you own the ugly too. 🔹 Disappoint people—then fix it Missed deadlines. Bugs. Frustrated users. It’s how you respond that defines you. 🔹 Do the tough stuff Fix bugs. Jump into support calls. Stay late to unblock the team. That’s leadership. 🔹 Be ruthlessly honest No sugarcoating. If something’s broken, say it. Your team can handle the truth—they can’t handle spin. 🔹 Create a culture of ownership Stop micromanaging. Empower your team to run with it. The trust flows both ways. 🔹 Stop pretending you have it figured out You don’t. I don’t. Nobody does. Be real. Ask for help. It makes you more credible, not less. 🔹 Take risks—and fail forward Some bets won’t pay off. That’s fine. Your team needs to see you try, not play it safe. 🔹 Show you care (like, really care) People remember how you made them feel. Team, customers, community—be human first. 🔹 Let it get messy Trust doesn’t grow in perfection. It grows in shared chaos, course correction, and showing up anyway. Trust is earned. Not pitched. And it’s built one hard conversation, one bug fix, one honest moment at a time. What’s your go-to move when things go sideways? Drop it in the comments—I’m all ears (and coffee-fueled scars). ☕🔥 #RevOps #SalesOps #Salesforce #CRM #BusinessGrowth #Clientell