It’s been weeks since the deadline of that final report.
You can feel the wrath of your boss nearby, either yelling your name or giving cynical remarks on another day gone by without you delivering the results.
When you finally submit your report, he asks, “So what took you so long?”
“The clients”, you say. It was the system that was down last week or the colleague who forget to follow up.
You try to wrap the story in such a way that takes you off the hook.
The next thing you know is that your boss never entrusts you with the big clients anymore.
While you may think it is important to save yourself and quickly escape from a problematic situation, it is more important to build trust.
How to build trust
Say you’ve blown your chance to prove yourself to your boss and you’re keen to start over. Here are some ways to build or even rebuild trust in the workplace:
1. Be true to your word
Actions speak louder than words, so when you’re late again for the tenth time to the Monday meeting, people will not believe that you’ll come on time next time, despite you promising them so. And if you make mistakes, tell the truth.
2. Under promise and over deliver
Don’t do what’s required of you, but do more. Don’t wait until your boss is chasing you for the task, deliver it to him first.
3. Be vulnerable
Trust manifests by action, yet it is a deed of the heart. For someone to trust you, they need to know that you seek the best interests of the group and don’t just want to save your own face.
Trust may take months or even years to build. However, it is crucial for colleagues in the workplace to trust each other as it leads to more effective work, more productive teamwork, and greater results.
This article is modified from the Institute of Management training module: Motivating Employees. For more information about the course, please visit our website.
