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Why trust is important and how to (re)build it.
Trust. It's arguably at the center of everything we do. Whether it's trust in ourselves, our peers, our communities, or any of the organizations we belong to it is the foundation for how we interpret, act, and interact with the world around us.
Not surprisingly, this makes trust an essential element in building a healthy and successful business. We need it to feel psychologically safe, as that headspace gives us the confidence we need to take the necessary risks to learn and grow. However, we only feel psychologically safe when we believe we will not be penalized — or thought less of — for making a mistake, asking for help, or trying something new without success. (Edmonson, 2002)
When we're feeling safe we are much more likely to go into problem solving mode to try and find the best way to do things, rather than the easiest or most ego-appeasing way. This willingness to take risks and experiment is the fuel behind innovation and creativity.
When we're trusted we're also able to connect more to the people around us, which in turn makes us more motivated and productive. We're willing to drive forward the purpose of the group from our own motivation. An organization with this company culture will see higher performance, efficiency, and retention.
The Effects of Losing Trust
Many things happen in the workplace when we lose trust. When we are in a situation that we do not trust, or where we do not feel trusted, we tend to withdraw to protect ourselves.
Our motivation slips, as both intrinsically or extrinsically there's no driver to take action ourselves. We lose energy struggling with the disconnect that comes from navigating an environment we don't feel is psychologically safe, all the while still attempting to perform and meet expectations. We’re present, but not engaged, and stop sharing our potential with that person or group as we limit our involvement.
When we feel we have lost autonomy, not only will we not engage with anyone to solve problems and generate ideas, but we'll also stop engaging with ourselves. We stop questioning things. It becomes a game of doing exactly what the person in charge has said, rather than tapping into our creativity and intelligence to truly…
