How do you restore trust with your team when you’ve broken it as a leader?
Trust is something every leader should have.
Trust is the hardest thing to build inside any organization, because it takes time to build.
It’s not easily given by new team members or to new leaders.
Investing in trust building gives you the ability to have a greater impact.
But as long as it takes to build trust, it only takes a second to break trust.
When you break trust, the people in your organization become fearful.
They may socially isolate from you.
They may just resign.
When I say resign, I’m not talking about quitting and going to work at another organization, though they may do that.
But the worst kind of resignation is mental resignation.
They’ll show up at 8:59 a.m. and clock out at 4:59 p.m.
They do the bare minimum because they’ve mentally quit on you and the organization.
This is what happens when you break trust.
If you’ve broken their trust as a leader, you’ve got to find a way to restore that trust.
How Leaders Restore Trust
1. Acknowledge You’ve Done Wrong
Acknowledge that you’ve broken their trust.
Acknowledge that you’ve made a mistake.
2. Apologize
Don’t be afraid to apologize.
You must apologize for breaking their trust.
3. Communicate
Make sure to communicate that you plan to restore their trust in you.
Show them with your actions, not your words.
These three things begin the process of restoring trust with your team.
