Building trust as a new manager
What actions can you take to develop trust in your team? (Image by jcomp on Freepik)
As a new manager, one of your first and most important tasks is to build trust. This is a three-way street: you want your team to trust you, you want your team members to trust each other, and you want to be able to trust your team. Easy, right?
As a team member, trust is developed more subconsciously and intuitively whereas managers need to be more intentional about building trust. For anyone who has stepped into a management role without having had management training, though, knowing how to build trust can be elusive.
I’m going to share some ways you can build trust with your team, specifically through good communication skills, respect for others, authenticity, transparency, consistency, and leading by example.
Good communication
Having good communication skills involves:
Active listening – You’ve heard the phrase before but what does it really mean? It means focusing your attention on the person that’s talking, listening fully to what they are saying with their words, and paying attention to their body language. That’s means not checking your phone and not preparing in your mind what you’re going to say next.
Developing rapport – Be empathetic, and be aware of your own body language so you’re not sending mixed messages. Ask open-ended and engaging questions to find out what the other person is interested in or their views on a particular issue… without passing judgment. People like people who are like them, so find areas of common interest, e.g. a sport, travel, cooking (or eating!) and refer to them from time to time to maintain rapport.
Respect for others
The importance of this is simple: if you want others to show you respect, begin by having respect for others.
Authenticity
Be true to yourself. When people are authentic, they come across in a genuine and sincere way that reflects who they are as individuals. You’re not the perfect leader (no one is), so don’t pretend to know all the answers. It’s ok to show some vulnerability – life happens both in the workplace and outside it, and no one is immune. And, because we’re human, we can be open to receiving compassion (a natural human response) from others.
Transparency
Leading with openness and honesty is an especially valuable leadership trait during times of change. Teams affected by change want to know the truth about what’s happening, and want to know how they may be affected. This isn’t the time for sugar-coating, or for making things up when you don’t know the answers. It’s a time for demonstrating that you’re on their side, that you are there to support them, and that you’re willing to ask questions on their behalf.
Consistency
Being consistent shows that you are predictable and reliable. That’s not to say that you’re uninspired. It simply means that, by knowing what the parameters and standards are, staff can focus on doing the job they are meant to do and this is incredibly freeing for them.
Leading by example
One of the most powerful tools you have for building trust is to model the behavior that you want to see. If you want your team to have integrity, demonstrate that you have integrity. If you want them to have a more open mind in team meetings, then demonstrate that your mind is open to new ideas in those meetings.
Want to quickly get your management abilities up to speed?
You can learn more about leadership qualities and how creative problem-solving can help you and your team stand out and get noticed, making you a highly valued manager in the process, through our coaching programs. Head on over to our website to learn more. Questions? Contact me at Ellia@ThePotentialCenter.com and we’ll arrange a time to talk.
I develop newly minted managers who want to stand out and become highly valued, by leading a team that comes up with solutions no one else could see before.
If you’d like to see what tapping into creative potential could look like at your place of work, contact me at Ellia@ThePotentialCenter.com to arrange a no-obligation call.