How Leaders Build Trust and Confidence (and the Benefits of Doing so)

August 27, 2024
By: Patrick Bosworth in the Motivation category.

The Key to Empowering Your Team

Trust is the currency of leadership.

Studies show that employees in high-trust organizations report:

74% less stress
50% higher productivity
and 40% less burnout.

source: https://www.harvardbusiness.org/good-leadership-it-all-starts-with-trust/

Trust and confidence in a leader are a must.

Leadership is not just about making decisions and giving orders. It’s about creating a culture where team members feel safe, supported, and empowered to give their best. Trust is the foundation of this culture, allowing leaders to inspire confidence, encourage open communication, and foster a sense of security within the team.

The Key Elements of Trust and Psychological Safety

Leaders have a critical responsibility to create an environment where people feel safe to express their ideas and contribute fully. Trust and psychological safety enable this environment, facilitating open communication, collaboration, and creativity.

Defining Trust

Trust in a leadership context is built on three primary components: reliability, integrity, and honesty.

Reliability means consistently following through on commitments. As a leader, your team needs to know they can count on you to deliver on your promises, whether it’s support during projects or meeting deadlines. When you demonstrate reliability, your team members feel secure knowing they can depend on you.
Integrity refers to leading with a moral compass. Leaders who act with integrity uphold ethical standards and ensure fairness in decision-making. This sense of fairness strengthens team cohesion, as everyone understands that actions are taken with honesty and transparency. Trust erodes quickly when team members perceive leaders as self-serving or inconsistent.
Honesty is about clear, transparent communication. Honest leaders don’t shy away from difficult conversations and are open about successes and challenges. When you communicate openly with your team, they are more likely to reciprocate, creating a culture where information flows freely and issues are addressed quickly. This prevents misunderstandings and builds deeper connections within the team.

Understanding Psychological Safety

While trust focuses on the leader’s reliability, integrity, and honesty, psychological safety creates an atmosphere where employees feel secure enough to take interpersonal risks. This concept, pioneered by Amy Edmondson, describes a work environment where team members are confident they won’t be punished or humiliated for sharing ideas, concerns, or mistakes.

Psychological safety allows your team to express themselves without fear of negative consequences. When team members feel psychologically safe, they’re more likely to ask questions, admit errors, or propose innovative ideas, which can significantly drive individual and collective performance. Leaders who create this environment encourage learning and adaptability that help navigate challenges and foster growth.

Research from Google’s Project Aristotle found that psychological safety was the most important factor in building successful teams. Without it, teams struggle to collaborate effectively and are less likely to experiment or innovate.

The Interconnection of Trust and Psychological Safety

Trust and psychological safety are not isolated concepts; they work hand in hand to foster a productive and supportive workplace. Trust is the precursor that sets the foundation for psychological safety. When team members trust their leader’s integrity and reliability, they are more likely to feel psychologically safe. They’ll feel secure knowing that their leader values their input, respects their vulnerability, and encourages open dialogue.

In turn, psychological safety strengthens trust within the team. When employees feel safe to voice their opinions and share ideas, they’re more likely to trust their colleagues and the leadership. This mutual trust promotes deeper collaboration, better problem-solving, and increased creativity, all of which drive stronger outcomes for the organization.

As a leader, your focus should be consistently building trust and psychological safety. When both elements are present, your team members will feel confident taking risks, pushing boundaries, and contributing their best work.

Behaviors and Communication Styles that Foster Trust

Leadership isn’t just about decision-making; it fosters a culture where team members feel valued, respected, and motivated. The way you communicate and behave as a leader directly influences how much trust your team places in you. Through transparency, consistency, empathy, and accountability, you can create an environment where trust flourishes.

Transparent Communication

Transparency is one of the most crucial building blocks of trust. When you communicate openly and honestly with your team, you create a sense of clarity and alignment. Your team members need to feel they have access to critical information – whether it’s about company goals, project updates, or challenges the organization faces. Hiding information or being vague can lead to distrust, uncertainty, and disengagement.

Clear Expectations: One benefit of transparent communication is that it helps establish clear expectations. Your team should always be sure about what you need from them. Outline objectives, share the rationale behind decisions, and provide regular updates on progress. High levels of transparency make it easier for your team to understand the broader vision and how their work contributes to it.
Authenticity: Authenticity is another aspect of transparency that can’t be overlooked. When you speak openly about successes and setbacks, you show your team that you’re not afraid to confront reality, even when it’s uncomfortable. This authenticity fosters mutual respect and encourages your team to be equally candid in their communications.

Consistent and Fair Leadership

Consistency in leadership is needed for stronger levels of trust. Your team should always know what to expect from you, whether in how you handle conflict, make decisions, or enforce rules. Inconsistent behavior or unpredictability can cause anxiety, leading team members to second-guess leadership or feel as if they’re not being treated fairly.

Fairness in Decisions: Treating everyone fairly is a hallmark of strong leadership. This means applying policies and rules evenly, regardless of a team member’s position or relationship with you. Favoritism, or the perception of it, can quickly erode trust, whereas fairness builds an environment of equality and mutual respect. For instance, if you allow one employee to miss deadlines without consequences while holding others strictly accountable, you undermine team morale and trust in your leadership.
Consistent Behavior: Beyond fairness, consistency also applies to your demeanor and reactions. If your leadership style swings unpredictably – from supportive to punitive – it can create an atmosphere of uncertainty. Your team members should feel confident in how you will respond to issues, enabling them to act more autonomously and confidently.

Empathy and Active Listening

Empathy is a vital trait in trust-building, particularly when fostering open communication. When you demonstrate empathy, you show your team that you care about their feelings, concerns, and experiences. Empathetic leaders strengthen emotional bonds and make team members more likely to be honest and engaged.

Active Listening: Listening is more than just hearing words; it’s about understanding and processing the message behind them. Active listening requires you to fully engage with what your team is saying, showing that their concerns and ideas are valued. When team members feel heard, they’re more likely to trust you with their challenges and insights. Effective listening includes giving them your undivided attention, asking clarifying questions, and summarizing what you’ve heard to ensure understanding. When leaders practice active listening, trust strengthens by respecting each individual’s perspective.
Empathetic Responses: Empathy also involves responding thoughtfully. Whether a team member shares a concern or celebrates a win, your response should show that you understand and appreciate their emotions. For instance, when someone shares a personal challenge affecting their work, acknowledging their feelings and offering support will go a long way in reinforcing trust. This leads to a culture where employees feel safe to communicate honestly, contributing to overall psychological safety.

Accountability

Another critical factor in building trust is a leader’s accountability. Being accountable means owning your actions, decisions, and mistakes. When leaders hold themselves accountable, it signals to the team that they are trustworthy and dependable.

Modeling Accountability: You set the tone for your team by demonstrating accountability in your work. This includes admitting when you’ve made mistakes, or a decision didn’t yield the desired results. Transparency in these situations shows your team that it’s safe to make mistakes and learn from them, which fosters a culture of continuous improvement.
Expecting Accountability from the Team: While it’s essential to model accountability, it’s equally important to expect it from your team. Hold all members to the same standard and encourage them to take ownership of their work. When everyone consistently practices accountability, it creates a trust-based culture where people feel responsible for contributing to the team’s success.

When you integrate transparency, consistency, empathy, and accountability into your leadership approach, you build trust and create a team environment where open communication and collaboration thrive.

The Impact of Trust on Team Performance and Innovation

Trust is the foundation for high-performing teams, influencing everything from collaboration to innovation. A workplace environment built on trust empowers employees to engage more fully in their work and to explore new ideas without fear of failure.

Enhanced Collaboration

When trust exists within a team, collaboration improves dramatically. Team members who trust each other are more willing to share their ideas, communicate openly, and collaborate effectively toward common goals. Trust minimizes interpersonal conflict, reduces the need for constant oversight, and frees up time and mental energy for team members to focus on their tasks.

Open Communication: Trust facilitates open communication, allowing team members to express opinions and give feedback without fear of backlash. This open dialogue helps align goals and expectations more effectively, enabling smoother collaboration across departments and functions. When employees trust that their colleagues have their best interests at heart, they are more likely to support one another, share knowledge, and work cohesively toward achieving team objectives.
Faster Problem-Solving: A high level of trust also accelerates problem-solving. In trusting teams, members feel safe to voice concerns, challenge assumptions, and propose solutions. This freedom to speak up ensures that potential obstacles are addressed more quickly, preventing minor issues from escalating into larger problems.

Increased Innovation

Trust fosters innovation. In an environment where trust is strong, employees feel more comfortable taking risks, suggesting new ideas, and challenging the status quo (all essential for innovation). Fear of failure is one of the most significant barriers to innovation, and trust helps mitigate that fear by creating a culture of psychological safety.

Encouraging Risk-Taking: Teams that trust their leaders and colleagues are more likely to experiment with new ideas and approaches. This willingness to take calculated risks is crucial for driving innovation. When employees feel secure, they are more likely to think creatively and push boundaries, knowing they won’t be penalized if their ideas don’t pan out as expected.
A Culture of Learning: Trust allows mistakes to be seen as learning opportunities rather than failures. Leaders who encourage their teams to learn from setbacks rather than punish them creates a culture where employees are willing to innovate without fear of negative consequences. This type of environment fosters continual improvement and creativity.

Higher Engagement

Trust is also directly tied to employee engagement. When employees trust their leaders and coworkers, they are more engaged in their work, which leads to higher job satisfaction, stronger commitment to the organization, and improved performance.

Emotional Investment: Trust allows employees to feel emotionally invested in their work. They believe their contributions are valued and trust that the organization will support their growth and development. As a result, employees are more likely to go above and beyond in their roles, contributing more meaningfully to team and organizational success.
Job Satisfaction: Studies have shown that employees in high-trust environments report higher levels of job satisfaction and lower levels of stress and burnout. This leads to lower turnover rates, reducing the costs of hiring and training new staff.
Engaged employees are more productive and likely to stay loyal to the company, contributing to long-term organizational success.

Performance Outcomes

The direct link between trust and improved performance has been well documented. Teams that operate in an environment of trust outperform those that do not, both in terms of efficiency and innovation. Trust helps streamline communication, reduce misunderstandings, and increase accountability, leading to better outcomes.

Increased Productivity: Research has shown that employees at high-trust organizations are 50% more productive than those at low-trust companies. Trust allows smoother workflows, with less time spent on conflict resolution and more time focused on achieving team goals.
Improved Organizational Results: Trust impacts overall organizational success beyond individual performance. High-trust companies consistently report better financial performance, higher employee retention, and stronger customer satisfaction metrics.

List of Practical Tips and Strategies for Leaders to Build Trust within Their Teams

Building trust within a team requires consistent effort and intentional actions. Here are six actions for fostering trust in your team:

1. Practice Consistent Transparency:

Transparency is one of the quickest ways to establish trust. By consistently sharing information and explaining the rationale behind your decisions, you show your team that you have nothing to hide. Being open about successes and challenges lets your team feel included in the journey, fostering a sense of collective ownership.

Why it works: When leaders are transparent, employees are less likely to fill in the gaps with speculation or mistrust. You’re more likely to have a team that’s aligned with your vision because they understand the bigger picture.
How to implement: Regularly communicate updates about projects, goals, and upcoming changes. Host open forums or Q&A sessions where team members can ask questions and provide feedback.

2. Be Approachable and Accessible:

An approachable leader makes it easier for team members to express their concerns, ideas, or issues. Being accessible to your team means making yourself available for one-on-one conversations and feedback sessions. It helps break down the barriers between leaders and employees, promoting a more collaborative and open environment.

Why it works: Approachable leaders make employees feel more comfortable discussing challenges and seeking guidance, which builds a stronger relationship of trust.
How to implement: Set aside specific weekly times for informal check-ins or open office hours. Make it clear to your team that you’re always willing to listen and help.

3. Deliver on Promises

Following through on commitments is essential to building trust. If you say you’ll do something, make sure you do it. When leaders deliver on their promises, they demonstrate reliability and integrity, two critical components of trust.

Why it works: Team members lose trust when promises are broken, leading to disengagement and a lack of accountability. Fulfilling promises shows that you respect your team and value their time.
How to implement: Set realistic goals for yourself and your team. If something changes and you can’t deliver, communicate this openly and explain why the situation has shifted.

4. Foster Inclusivity

Encouraging diverse perspectives and ensuring everyone feels valued creates a culture of inclusivity and trust (when people feel that their voice matters, they are more likely to engage and contribute to the team’s success).

Why it works: Inclusivity strengthens trust by demonstrating that you value the unique contributions of each team member, regardless of background or experience.
How to implement: Actively solicit input from all team members, especially during meetings. Ensure that everyone has the opportunity to share their ideas and recognize those contributions openly.

5. Recognize and Celebrate Contributions

Regularly acknowledging and rewarding team members’ efforts is a powerful way to build trust. It shows that you’re paying attention to their work and that their contributions are important to the team’s success.

Why it works: Recognition boosts morale and reinforces positive behavior. When employees feel appreciated, they are more likely to trust their leader and remain motivated to continue contributing their best work.
How to implement: Take time during meetings to recognize team milestones or individual achievements. Personalized recognition, whether through a simple thank you or a formal award, goes a long way in maintaining trust.

6. Build Trust Gradually

Trust is not built in a single moment but over time through consistent, trustworthy actions. Patience is key. Understand that your team is always observing how you lead, and the small, daily behaviors compound over time to create lasting trust.

Why it works: Trust built gradually is more resilient and stable. Quick fixes or superficial gestures will not substitute for the hard work of showing reliability and authenticity day after day.
How to implement: Stay consistent in your leadership style, whether in communication, decision-making, or handling team dynamics. Be patient and understand that trust-building is an ongoing process.

Building trust is one of the most important investments you can make as a leader. By implementing these practical tips, you can create an environment where your team feels valued, supported, and confident in their ability to succeed.

Strengthening Leadership Through Trust and Confidence

Building trust and confidence as a leader directly impacts your team’s performance, collaboration, and innovation. Trust serves as the foundation for creating a safe environment where employees feel valued.

Leaders who communicate transparently, act consistently, and practice empathy foster stronger relationships and drive better team outcomes. By recognizing the importance of trust, you can cultivate a team that is engaged, creative, and aligned with your organization’s goals.

Now is the time to reflect on your leadership practices.

Ask yourself: Are you building trust with your team through your actions and communication?

Identify areas for improvement and begin applying the strategies outlined in this article to strengthen trust within your team.

The results will benefit your team dynamics and enhance overall performance and innovation.

About the Author:

Pat Bosworth

Founder and CEO Patrick effectively coaches leaders at all levels and across a number of industries with a pragmatic, consultative approach. Previously, he was vice president with Right Management and held other senior OD and development positions in manufacturing and the professional services Industries.

He holds an M.S. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Lamar University.