Stop treating trust as a currency and start living it as a value. When teams don't trust each other, everything slows down. Discover why traditional trust-building approaches backfire and six proven strategies that actually create lasting workplace trust.
You are touching on such a resonant subject, Gustavo.
And the question “What’s your usual approach to trust? Do you assume trust, or do you believe it should be earned?" - provides a monumental shift, no doubt, during "do we have trust or not" conversations.
During the summer, I was reading "The courage to be disliked", a book that has had a huge impact on how I view life, people and my relationships.
A particular chapter that is called "The difference between trust & confidence" was particularly revealing. "When we speak of trust, we are referring to something that comes with a set of condition. Referred to as "credit". .....just think about this for a moment; what are the components of trust?
On the other hand:
"Even if one does not have sufficient objective grounds for trusting someone - you can still believe that they will do the "the right thing". One can believe unconditionally, without concerting oneself with such things as security (which is what lies in trusting) -> and that is confidence.
Being able to have confidence is someone, no matter how you are treated - is different than trusting someone.
While this might be a bit 'deep' for working relationships - it still rings true and applicable.
So instead of me saying "I trust you to do the right thing" - instead "I have confidence that you'll do the right thing"....resonates quite differently.
Fantastic points. I love the idea of confidence because that's exactly the essence of authentic trust. It's not transactional in the sense that people have to prove themselves. It's that you have confidence in them. Beautiful, and thanks for sharing the book. Will check it out.
Gustavo, your exploration of Trust really resonates with me!
I was very fortunate that my earliest work experiences—first as an engineer and later as a lawyer—were in teams that operated at the Scheins’ Level 2. Those team cultures were partly because the leaders extended trust and were open and encouraging of ideas; but also, the older members of those teams felt some responsibility for creating and maintaining that level of trust as new members joined the team.
Those experiences set the bar pretty high for me.
On reflection in reading your piece, I can note that assuming best intentions and valuing collaboration were common themes in the ways those teams worked together.
Many of my friendships from those teams developed to Level 3, and some have lasted for many years.
Thank you for the thoughtful reflection, Debra. Great story. You mention something that's crucial: when the team collectively operates at level 2, developing and nurturing trust becomes everyone's responsibility.
You are touching on such a resonant subject, Gustavo.
And the question “What’s your usual approach to trust? Do you assume trust, or do you believe it should be earned?" - provides a monumental shift, no doubt, during "do we have trust or not" conversations.
During the summer, I was reading "The courage to be disliked", a book that has had a huge impact on how I view life, people and my relationships.
A particular chapter that is called "The difference between trust & confidence" was particularly revealing. "When we speak of trust, we are referring to something that comes with a set of condition. Referred to as "credit". .....just think about this for a moment; what are the components of trust?
On the other hand:
"Even if one does not have sufficient objective grounds for trusting someone - you can still believe that they will do the "the right thing". One can believe unconditionally, without concerting oneself with such things as security (which is what lies in trusting) -> and that is confidence.
Being able to have confidence is someone, no matter how you are treated - is different than trusting someone.
While this might be a bit 'deep' for working relationships - it still rings true and applicable.
So instead of me saying "I trust you to do the right thing" - instead "I have confidence that you'll do the right thing"....resonates quite differently.
Fantastic points. I love the idea of confidence because that's exactly the essence of authentic trust. It's not transactional in the sense that people have to prove themselves. It's that you have confidence in them. Beautiful, and thanks for sharing the book. Will check it out.
I’ve always found it better to believe that most people want to do a good job and create a positive outcome and act accordingly.
Gustavo, your exploration of Trust really resonates with me!
I was very fortunate that my earliest work experiences—first as an engineer and later as a lawyer—were in teams that operated at the Scheins’ Level 2. Those team cultures were partly because the leaders extended trust and were open and encouraging of ideas; but also, the older members of those teams felt some responsibility for creating and maintaining that level of trust as new members joined the team.
Those experiences set the bar pretty high for me.
On reflection in reading your piece, I can note that assuming best intentions and valuing collaboration were common themes in the ways those teams worked together.
Many of my friendships from those teams developed to Level 3, and some have lasted for many years.
Thank you for the thoughtful reflection, Debra. Great story. You mention something that's crucial: when the team collectively operates at level 2, developing and nurturing trust becomes everyone's responsibility.