By Rejoice Esi Asante (PhD)
Can you afford to be vulnerable to another person? You can, only if you trust the person. We all become vulnerable at a point in time relying on others to help our vulnerabilities. We rely on others to see to our welfare when we cannot help ourselves.
However, trust in this fast paced business world is becoming a rare commodity, especially in uncertain environments. This article seeks to explore the need to build and earn trust and to maintain it.
Trust is the belief in the reliability, truth and ability of someone or something. We trust in the intelligence of doctors for medical care, thus becoming vulnerable to their craft. we trust in a pilot or a driver to fly or drive us to our destinations safely, we trust in the cook to provide us with the best of meals.
Trust is therefore the glue of life (Covey, 1992). It can be earned but once lost, it is difficult to win it back. The trust established between employees and their leaders, become the strength of any organization.
Trust is not exempt from challenges and it can be broken by certain behaviours and attitudes (Colemen, 2024). Lack of trust, for example, is a key factor in employee turnover. One study found that 59 percent of employees quit their jobs due to trust issues, linked to a lack of leader communication and honesty (Schwartz, 2015).
A report in Hr NETWORK News (2024) found that employees commonly consider leaving organisations due to a lack of trust in management and a poor workplace culture.
Reports show that trust has since 2021 declined in organisations (Ratanjee, 2024). A Gallup Panel survey in 2021, found that only 23% of U.S. employees strongly agree that they trust the leadership of their organizations. Thus people are less trusting of leaders and vice versa, which is disturbing. According to Ratanjee (2024), when people lose trust in each other, their decisions are informed by suspicion and their actions by self-interest, making relationships more vulnerable as fewer people are motivated to act for the greater good. A decline in trust has dire outcomes, affecting collaboration, innovation, and commitment (Hacking HR, 2023).
Trust and Trustworthiness:
Trust is the willingness to be vulnerable to another person, and the belief that the other person will consider the impact of how their intentions and behaviors will affect you (Baer, et al., 2015). This can be likened to trust in God Almighty, the creator of all things, visible and invisible. We are all vulnerable to Him and rightly so because we believe that He has the acumen to keep the world systems operating and He has credibly demonstrated the capacity, competency, and integrity to do so, since creation.
As the foundation of trust, leaders who consistently demonstrate integrity gain the trust and respect of their followers. The book of Proverbs 11 verse 3 (NKJV) says the integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them. Trust is the cornerstone of effective leadership and it is important to foster it within teams in organisations (Insidesalesexpert.com). Trustworthy leaders prioritize righteousness and truthfulness, leading by example, aligning words and actions with integrity, building credibility and inspiring trust (Proverbs 20:28).
Trust is the lubricant of interpersonal relationships, the most essential ingredient in effective communication. “It is the foundational principle that holds all relationships. When the trust account is high, communication is easy, instant, and effective” (Covey, 1992). Losing trust can have a significant negative impact on employee morale and productivity (Pinel, 2024).
Trustworthy leaders are therefore known for their reliability and consistency. By speaking with clarity and avoiding unnecessary complexity, leaders demonstrate trustworthiness. They keep their promises and follow through on their commitments, earning the trust of those they lead. Matthew 5:37 (NKJV) says “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.”
Trustworthy leaders treat others with respect, kindness, and fairness. They lead by example, setting the standard for ethical behavior and treating others as they themselves would like to be treated. By fostering a culture of mutual respect, leaders create an environment where trust can flourish. Luke 6:31 (NKJV) “And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.”
Forms of Trust:
Three forms of Trust have been discussed by Hastings (2011): contractual, communication and competence trust. Contractual trust has to do with the trust of character and questions whether or one can do what they say, and make clear their expectations to vulnerable others. Communication trust is about trust of disclosure. It scrutinizes how well people share information and tell the truth. Competence trust is trust of capability. It looks at how effectively people meet or perform their responsibilities and acknowledge other people’s skills and abilities (Hastings, 2011).
These qualities are confirmed in God Almighty for want of a better example. God demonstrates contractual trust in that He has set in motion principles and promises which still stand and work. For instance, the law of gravity, the law of seed time and harvest among others have remained until today. That is God keeping his covenant with man. His character as God is unquestionable, He does what He says and does not go back on His words as men do. Numbers 23:19 (NKJV) “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
In the same vein, God demonstrates communication trust by honouring His words. He did not hide anything from man but has revealed all in His Word and it is up to man to search for the hidden codes in God’s Word. He is a God of disclosure. Genesis 18:17 (NKJV) “And the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing,” He is truth itself and cannot lie.
Finally, God demonstrates competency trust by showing how competent He is in creation and everything. His omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence are qualities that make him a competent God. The perfection with which He created the world, makes Him competent. Genesis 1: 31 (NKJV) “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day”.
Patterns of Behavior That Erode Trust
Pennington (2020) noted that, when team members begin to withhold information, using selective communication, persistently question goals, strategies, actions and decisions, protecting their self-interest at the expense of the team, acting inconsistently with the organization’s values and exhibiting low or diminishing commitment and engagement, it might just show that the leader is not trustworthy and lacks trust.
Coleman (2024) discussed four patterns that erodes trust in the workplace, i.e., not keeping promises (the impact of unfulfilled commitments), inconsistency between words and actions (the dilemma of mixed messages), drawbacks of inflexible leadership and human touch (leaders giving off an air or superiority).
These are critical behaviours that if not addressed can lead to a loss of trust in leadership. A leading global architectural designer, Gensler says trust has two main benefits: One to willing team members who perceive honesty and directness in leadership and are usually ready to work through challenges and become referral sources, secondly, building authentic collaboration within teams when there is trust.
Galford and Drapeau (2011) developed a formula for trust, which states that trustworthiness is the result of the sum of credibility, reliability and intimacy, divided by self-orientation. Credibility has to do with words, earned by one’s expertise and by being up-front about one’s limitations. Reliability concerns actions, how consistent and dependable they are. Intimacy relates to emotions and understanding the sensitivities of others. Self-orientation pertains to motives, the degree to which one focusses on their own concerns when interacting with others.
Building Trust
Trust is hard to earn but easy to lose (Michail, 2024), making it challenging. Successful relationships are built on the bedrock of trust for the long term. To assume that quality alone is enough and to pay little attention to reputation, oblivious that lack of trust can make or break a business, is ignorance with consequences. Rebuilding strong, trustworthy working relationships is crucial for the success of any organization (Coleman, 2024). Trust lies at the heart of every strong relationship.
Pennington (2020) recommends six action to take to demonstrate good intentions, i. e following through with what is said, communicating expectations clearly and building shared understanding of priorities. A reputation for listening and actually caring about what others are saying, competency and getting better at our actions all builds trust. Again, the clearer one is on their values, the more trust they will build. It is important to be clear about one’s values and not compromise them consistently. Standing up for your team by having their backs when needed most and becoming an advocate for them, will earn their respect. Strong relationships grounded in trust are critical (Pennington, 2020).
Trust is received when given out. Acting in ways that demonstrate each of the three types of trust discussed earlier helps build trust. Bartolomé (1989) suggests the following as additional ways of building trust: effective communication, providing support, giving respect, fairness, being predictable and competent, telling the truth (Bartolomé, 1989). Support is to be available and approachable, providing help, advice, coaching, and support.
Delegating meaningful responsibilities to others shows respect, while actively listening to the ideas of others shows trust. Fairness means to be quick to give credit and recognition to those who deserve it. Predictability looks at being consistent and predictable in keeping both expressed and implied promises while competence has to do with enhancing ones credibility by demonstrating good business sense, technical ability, and professionalism (Bartolomé, 1989).
A model for Rebuilding Trust, adapted from Reina and Reiner, by Koehler (2010) demonstrates how trust can be restored from distrust in seven levels: acknowledging the cause of mistrust, allowing feelings and emotions to be discussed constructively, obtaining and giving support to others in the process and reframing the experience and shifting from being a victim to taking a look at options and choices. Additionally, taking responsibility, forgiving yourself and others and finally letting go and moving on.
In conclusion, one can benefit from practicing and following behaviours that build trust. The Bible makes many references to the need to trust in God to direct out path. For instance, Proverbs 3”5.6 (NKJV) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your path. Trust is important, every effort must be made to maintain trust and the rebuild it if lost. It indeed is the lubricant of interpersonal relationships.
