23 February 2021

Simon Sinek, author of The Infinite Game, says “Without trusting teams, all the cracks in an organisation are hidden or ignored.” Read on to find out about why trusting the people you work with will improve your performance and that of your organisation.

2:00 Min

Safety

A Gallup report found that organisations with higher “psychological safety” can better engage their employees and increase productivity. Trust in the workplace means the ability to predict colleagues’ behaviour, enabling us to express ideas honestly. Timothy R. Clark, CEO of LeaderFactor, explains that “If I can predict that you won't embarrass or humiliate me, I'm much more likely to engage and release my discretionary efforts.” Have a look at seven tips for fostering psychological safety in virtual meetings.

Minimising miscommunication

Digital messages can easily be misconstrued and can escalate into misunderstandings and strained work relationships. “Without trust, we’re much more likely to ‘clap back’ and allow message[s] to snowball into a conflict,” explains Dana Brownlee, author of The Unwritten Rules of Managing Up. “Trust creates a shield of goodwill that allows us to view their comments through a different, more well-intentioned lens.”

Increase innovation

Trust-based companies tend to promote product improvement processes by up to 15 per cent more than their competitors. “Trust enables teams not just to take risks, but also to move more quickly,” writes Brandon Smith, a leadership expert. “There’s little second-guessing in high-trust environments because team members assume there’s positive intent.” Discover three tips on how to build long-lasting trust at work here.