Build a foundation of trust at work.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret.  The key to building a strong working relationship is quite simply establishing trust. 

The first step in establishing trust is modeling it yourself. 

Always extend your trust first at the outset of a new relationship, assume the person has positive intent and let the relationship grow from there.  I am not a believer in making people earn your trust by constantly testing them.  (It should be your goal to keep mind games out of the workplace, not invite them in.)

People often forget to verbalize their trust.  “I trust you, Susan.  I know you will do a great job.”  Notice, I didn’t say, “I trust you, Susan.  I know you will do the job the right way.”  Saying that implies that there is only one way to do something, when in fact, there are usually multiple ways.  You want to send your colleague/direct report the message that they have the freedom to play to their own strengths, not yours.  All that matters is that they deliver the intended result within the given constraints (time, budget, etc.).  

Be consistent in your actions- be honest, be vulnerable, be helpful, be reliable, be sincere and always stand up for what’s right and what’s in the best interest of your colleagues/direct reports. The more consistent you are, the faster you’ll establish trust.

When you truly place your trust in someone, the vast majority of time they will not want to let you down.  It’s actually quite the opposite- they will be motivated to rise up, come up with things you never imagined and overcome challenges you never anticipated.

With this approach, you will begin to notice a greater number of new relationships turning into long-term relationships.  You will work with some of the same colleagues, vendors and consultants for years, creating deep connections and working efficiencies well beyond your expectations.  And here’s the kicker- subconsciously new people will draw the conclusion that you are trustworthy by these well-established relationships, thus shortening the trust timeline.

As you build more and more trusting relationships within your team, so many good things happen- more energy, more productivity, more joy, more purpose, more retention and more growth.  You not only achieve great relationships, you achieve great results and what’s more, you eventually achieve an entire company culture of trust.