How to Restore Trust in Your Workplace

1.  Apologize sincerely...without making excuses.  When you make a mistake, apologize and say it like you mean it.  Don't excuse yourself by blaming your poor performance on an outside event or circumstance.  Accept ownership for the mistake.  No "buts"....; anytime you hear a "but" it's fair to question the sincerity of the apology.  Don't be too quick to move away from how uncomfortable you are feeling.  Don't move to quickly into what you are going to do to correct your mistake.  Feel the mistake and allow others to sense your pain.  This path opens the door for members of your staff to do the same thing; it brings an atmosphere of reality and honesty to your discussions.  No longer are you talking about the way you wished things were or the way they are described in the brochure;  you're talking about things as they are;  it's the foundation for improved performance from top to bottom.

 

2.  Admit your mistakes and weaknesses;  ask for help and feedback.  If you feel insecure as a leader, this will be very hard to do.  If on the other hand you approach your responsibilities with a sense of self-confidence, you will accept the fact that you are not perfect and can always improve your performance; like the professional athlete, always looking for the slightest bit of competitive advantage.  And you ask for honest feedback from your colleagues; feedback that you take seriously and use as the foundation for your own growth and development.  What a great model for your organization:  that you, their leader, take concrete steps to improve your own performance, just as you expect others to do. 

3.  Share your personal life experience; take a chance; be vulnerable.  You're familiar with the phrase, "business is business and personal is personal..."   Well trust me that is nothing but a self-protective excuse.  The more we know about each other, the better we will be able to work together.  Yes you become vulnerable but it is that very vulnerability which makes you more trustworthy; it makes you human and more believable.  Some groups of employees do this periodically as a way of restoring a previously achieved level of trust.  It always binds people together in a new way.  It can be low impact; everyone is in charge of how much they reveal, but as the trust level grows each person will feel more comfortable in sharing what their personal life experiences look like.  Often it's these experiences which have a drastic impact on job performance, but when shared with co-workers they become an avenue for mutual support and assistance.  

 Trust within an organization is important to the organization's success.  High trust organizations, as several studies have illustrated, are more sustainable.  But it is not a piece of equipment; it feeds on the relationships which develop between employees.  It takes time to develop and must be maintained.