How to Rebuild Trust in the Workplace

In our careers, misunderstandings and miscommunications are inevitable. However, the resilience of our professional relationships is tested not by these challenges themselves, but by how we navigate the journey back to mutual trust and respect. I recall a time when a significant misunderstanding with a colleague put a project we were both passionate about at risk. The mix-up stemmed from an email that was intended to clarify roles but ended up causing confusion about responsibilities. Tensions escalated quickly, affecting not only our collaboration but also the project's progress. The key to rebuilding our trust involved several crucial steps: 1. Immediate Acknowledgement: We acknowledged the misunderstanding swiftly without assigning blame. Recognizing the issue openly paved the way for a constructive conversation. 2. Open Communication: We dedicated time to sit down and discuss the misunderstanding openly and honestly. This was not a quick chat between tasks but a focused effort to understand each other’s points of view. 3. Apologizing Where Necessary: Both of us took responsibility for our parts in the misunderstanding. A genuine apology can go a long way in healing professional relationships. 4. Re-establishing Expectations: Together, we revisited and clearly defined our expectations moving forward. This helped prevent similar issues and ensured we were aligned in our project goals. 5. Reinforcing Trust Through Actions: Trust is rebuilt in the small moments. Following the conversation, we made a concerted effort to demonstrate our commitment through reliability, consistent communication, and support for one another. 6. Reflecting and Learning: Finally, this experience became a learning opportunity. We reflected on what went wrong and how we can better handle potential misunderstandings in the future. This incident taught me that trust is not just about believing in someone's abilities or intentions; it's also about the willingness to work through misunderstandings together, with integrity and openness. The concerted effort to repair our working relationship not only salvaged our project but also strengthened our professional bond, making us better collaborators. Have you experienced a similar situation where you had to rebuild trust with a colleague? What actions were key to re-establishing that trust? Sharing your story could inspire others facing similar challenges. https://lnkd.in/e7SRH9Cx

Welcome to the Tuesday Trust Take! Let's discuss what to do as a leader when trust has been actively broken with your team member, a critical time for action. The research: - First step is reflection (e.g., what could have been behind the message or action that violated the trust? What could have been the broader implications not realized at the time?) - Seek feedback and advice from the team member. - Implement a plan with actions for repair in partnership with the team member, clarifying expectations and providing goals for relationship improvement. - Lead with empathy in communications and elevate level of support and visibility during this time. - Believe it or not, apologies can actually backfire depending upon the intensity of the trust violation.   Some thoughts from experience to address the research points: - When speaking with the team member, seek solely to understand, not defend. This is not the time for ego. - The last research point does not mean never apologize. Rather, it means focus on what the team member needs to move forward. Asking something like, "what would help you feel that this situation was properly addressed?" demonstrates prioritization of their needs, not yours. - Follow-through cannot be emphasized enough here. What I would often observe from employees is speaking up when something has happened but no subsequent discussion of where it went from there, which made the situation even worse. Demonstrate your commitment to the remedies discussion and connect the dots for associated actions. - Trust is not fixed overnight. Just like any relationship, it's an unfair expectation to assume A+B actions = everything is solved forever. Focus on consistent alignment between words and actions to build it back up and don't spiral if the momentum varies. And know that on the other side could be an even stronger relationship.   Have you had an experience with mending trust in the workplace? What has worked for you, or what have you observed that definitely doesn't work? Please comment below!   #OrganizationalEffectiveness #OrganizationalCulture #WorkplaceTrust   The Tuesday Trust Take combines review of research related to trust and insights from my own experience of a couple decades in the People & Culture space. Click on the bell icon underneath my profile banner + select "All" to stay updated on new posts and be sure to join in the conversation!

One of the hardest things to accept as an HR leader is that many employees fundamentally distrust us. They've been burned. Because they've experienced HR delivering company decisions they didn't expect or didn't understand. Or repeatedly been asked for feedback and seen no action taken. Or promised confidentiality that wasn't maintained. And so, even though we might feel like that isn’t us or who we are as HR leaders, we still have to recognize that some folks might experience us in that way or have had that experience. So, we still have to rebuild trust that has been damaged. We can do this by: - Being radically transparent about what HR can and cannot do - Being clear about boundaries around confidentiality - explaining exactly what must be escalated - Following through on commitments, even small ones - Acknowledging when processes failed in the past Trust is rebuilt one interaction at a time. What's one practice that has helped you rebuild trust between HR and employees?