Trust is hard to define. And because it’s hard to define, it’s equally difficult to understand how it’s built—or how it’s lost. Of course, to really dissect the inner workings of trust, we’d have to cite a flurry of philosophical, sociological, and psychological texts, and this would swiftly transmogrify from a humble blog to an unwieldy doctoral dissertation.
Yet, in today’s world—marked by hybrid models, generational shifts, political turmoil, and heightened employee expectations—trust is both more vital and more fragile than ever. So, without ado, we must press on with our modest understanding of trust as it is: a belief in something’s reliability. With that in mind, suffice it to say, a successful team, org, region, business—etcetera—needs trust to survive and thrive. (Cue the horror stories about quiet quitting, quiet vacationing, and any other silent workplace trends making the headlines.)
We needn’t elaborate more on the negative consequences of distrust. So let’s focus on three things: losing, building, and maintaining trust. But first, a quick anatomy lesson…
The Anatomy of Trust
Tech-executive-turned-Harvard-professor Frances Frei and author Anne Morriss analyzed data from the 360 reviews of 87,000 leaders. Their research, which was featured in Harvard Business Review, identified three core elements of trust: authenticity, logic, and empathy.
- Authenticity: Trust begins with being real. Employees must believe that their leaders are genuine and consistent in their values. An inauthentic leader—someone whose actions don’t align with their words—causes trust to erode.
- Logic: People trust leaders when they perceive their decisions as sound, transparent, and data-driven. This doesn’t mean leaders need to be infallible. It just means they need to explain the “why” behind their decisions in a way that resonates with their audience—their teams.
- Empathy: Perhaps the most human element of trust, empathy involves understanding and valuing others’ perspectives. A leader who listens without judgment and acts with compassion fosters a culture where employees feel valued and safe.
As we go deeper into the realm of trust, keep these three qualities in mind. If any one is missing, trust falters. If a highly empathetic and authentic leader happens to be a touch illogical, their team will ultimately, nevertheless, question their decisions and distrust them.
Losing Trust
But trust doesn’t just erode overnight—it’s death by a thousand cuts. A deterioration through a series of micro-failures like:
- Inconsistent leadership communication: When leaders share mixed messages or fail to follow through on promises, their people feel misled.
- Organizational misalignment: When company values and actions don’t match, employees experience cognitive dissonance, leading to mistrust.
- Neglecting psychological safety: People need to feel they’re able to share feedback or make mistakes. Without this, they disengage and become skeptical or even cynical.
These breakdowns are compounded by the context in which we live. Layoffs, leadership transitions, economic downturns. A 2024 survey on trust by Edelman shows us that the “economic optimism among executives (EVP+) and associates (entry-level and non-managers) continues to diverge and associates feel left behind.”1 This discrepancy—this division—makes building trust even more challenging because it establishes conflicting realities.
Building Trust
If you’re reading this section with particular gusto then fair warning: there is no quick fix. These are merely ideas—jumping off points. It’s up to you to take what you like, expand on it, apply it, and iterate, iterate, iterate.
1. Share the wins
Self-worth is strongly tied to purpose and success. Silos make people think they’re going it alone, not contributing, or—in the wake of layoffs—can make them feel like they’re the next to go. On the other hand, when people feel their success is tied to the success of their team or organization, trust grows. Shared accountability and collective achievements foster interdependence, which psychological research identifies as a foundation for trust. Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team highlights how collaboration toward common goals strengthens trust by aligning individual and team incentives.
- Call to action: Launch cross-departmental projects where success depends on collaboration.
2. Reverse mentorship
Experience isn’t everything. In fact, it can be deadly when people start equating experience with the truth because it can then diminish or belittle someone else’s experience. Stodgy hierarchical barriers naturally inhibit trust by creating an “us-and-them” environment. Reverse mentorship can help break down those barriers by providing a forum where people feel safe sharing their perspectives without fear of judgment.
- Call to action: Create structured reverse mentorship initiatives where both parties share feedback, fostering mutual learning and trust.
3. Radical transparency in decision-making
Radical transparency—inviting employees into the decision-making process—demonstrates accountability and reduces uncertainty.
- Call to action: Host brainstorming sessions where employees contribute to strategic discussions or use anonymous tools to crowdsource input on key decisions.
4. Leverage storytelling to humanize leadership
Stories create emotional connections and build trust by making leaders relatable. In fact, neuroscience research shows us that storytelling activates areas of the brain linked to empathy and emotional engagement. Stephen Denning’s The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling emphasizes that authentic narratives can bridge gaps between employees and leadership, fostering deeper trust.
- Call to action: Develop a story bank and start sharing your personal stories at town halls or in blog posts (be vulnerable!).
5. Trust workshops
Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither is trust. You have to encourage the dialogue. Surface concerns. Address issues. Act.
- Call to action: Launch regular trust-building workshops, host anonymous surveys to gather insights, or create a forum for people to share concerns and ideas.
Maintaining Trust
There is no set-it-and-forget-it when it comes to trust. Trust is not concrete. It’s fickle. Gone in a flash. It’s like a temperamental houseplant—you have to nurture it to keep it alive.
In closing:
- Celebrate trust-building behaviors, such as collaboration and transparency.
- Ensure accountability at every level—from entry-level employees to the C-suite.
- Create systems that encourage psychological safety, like anonymous feedback channels.
Ultimately, trust is more than a one-time decision—it’s an ongoing commitment. For leaders, this means showing up with integrity every day, even in the smallest of interactions. When trust is treated not just as a goal but as a value, it can be transformative. In short, you have to choose to commit to trust.
- Edelman. “2024 Edelman Trust Barometer: Special Report – Trust at Work.” September 2024.