You Don't Trust Your Team & They Don't Trust You
The Guide to Building Trust at Work
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There is a saying that goes, “Wherever you go, you take yourself with you,” and business is no different.
People who are serious about what they do are hard chargers and fiercely independent; they are so used to building their own way forward, solving problems themselves, and doing things at a rapid pace and with effectiveness — relatively alone — that building any *real* trust in others can be difficult.
In the early days of working together, I asked a founder in San Francisco how many people on his team he could trust 100% and he said, “None. Zero.”
When pressed he went on to say, “I want to be able to trust them to do the work, but I always have to double-check everything, and it makes me resent them. I wish I had those people they write about.”
His answer wasn’t uncommon, and it’s why I still ask that same question today: “Who on your team can you trust 100%?” Should there be more? No matter how brilliant you might be, you’ll miss a fantastic accelerator in your organization if you aren’t giving them the space to show their potential.
The hard truth is that there is no career or company that can reach its highest potential without trust. I’ve seen leaders and careers struggle with it across the board…incredibly competent, capable, whipsmart people who carry this specific element of challenge.
But when you do important work, trust is earned — not assumed — and you will have a large role to play in how this dynamic shakes out. So whether you want to create trust and build that dynamic with your team, colleagues, or those around you, here are the essential elements you need to keep in mind.
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