Dr. Louise Lambert, Head of Happiness Programming & Policy Design, HappinessMatters.org, shares how trust in teams is not built through words alone, but through consistent behaviour, small promises, honest communication, fair action, and the courage to acknowledge mistakes.
Many managers say they want more trust in their teams. They want people to be open, proactive, honest, and willing to take initiative. They encourage this by saying things like, “My door is always open,” “You can trust me,” or “We need to trust each other.” Yet trust isn’t something people give because they are told to. It is something they decide based on what they see.
Why trust is behavioral, not verbal
Trust is built through patterns of behaviour. People watch what you do more closely than what you say, especially when there is pressure, ambiguity, or risk. They notice whether you keep your word, follow through without being chased, and communicate honestly when the message is uncomfortable. They notice whether you remember what you promised, circle back when plans change, and explain decisions instead of letting silence fill the gap. Trust grows through consistency, and it is something you can practise.
Keeping small promises
One of the simplest and most overlooked ways to build trust is keeping small promises. If you say you will get back to someone by Wednesday, do it. If you say you will check something and revert with information, follow through. If circumstances change and you can no longer do as planned, be upfront and explain why before being asked.
These moments may feel small to you, but to others, they signal reliability, even when the response is, “I can’t do this after all.” When people know they can count on you for small commitments and honesty, they are more likely to trust you with larger ones: early warnings, difficult feedback, and honest information in return.
Appropriate disclosure is also a signal of trust
Trust also grows when managers show they are human by disclosing an inner thought, a small moment of controlled uncertainty, or even how they feel. This isn’t about sharing everything or leaning on your team emotionally. It means being human in a way that supports stability rather than undermines it.
Appropriate disclosure from managers can sound like, “This is a tough period, and I’m thinking carefully about how we move forward.” This reassures people that you are engaged and that you care. This is different from venting frustration or anxiety, which merely transfers your emotional burden onto them.
Used well, disclosure reduces distance, normalizes uncertainty, and strengthens connection. After all, you wouldn’t say such things if you didn’t trust your team members with those thoughts to begin with.
Addressing issues fairly versus ignoring them
Trust is also built when people see that you are willing to address behaviour that harms the team. When someone interrupts repeatedly, dismisses colleagues, misses commitments, or undermines others, and nothing is said, trust disappears, and it doesn’t go quietly.
People begin to assume that standards are flexible, or that certain behaviours by certain people are tolerated while others are not. Applying standards consistently, explaining decisions that affect workloads or opportunities, and avoiding visible favourites all contribute to a sense of predictability and fairness, which people start to equate with trust.
Further, when you address issues early and privately, as we will explore in next month’s post, you send a different signal. You show that you are paying attention, that you care about how people feel and function at work, that you are prepared to have uncomfortable conversations, and that you will protect the conditions people need to do their best work.
In short, you will protect your team members. Courage in small moments builds safety in larger ones. Over time, your team learns that they can rely on you not only to keep promises, but to uphold expectations and keep them safe. That’s what leaders do.
What gets in the way of being trustworthy
Being a manager means you sit in the middle, positioned between senior leadership and your team. You are aware of information that cannot yet be shared, decisions still being shaped, and conversations that are incomplete. You also know that people want clarity, reassurance, and answers. It is not always clear what you can say and to what degree. At other times, you might feel there is nothing concrete to share, and silence can feel like the safest option.
Yet silence creates its own risks. When people sense that something is being held back, they fill the gap themselves. Separation and distance invite narratives, and those narratives are rarely generous.
While you can’t share everything, you can explain the boundaries. You can say, “There are discussions underway and I don’t have confirmed information yet,” or “I will share more as soon as I am able.” Transparency, to the degree that you can offer it, reduces speculation and signals that you are not withholding out of avoidance, but out of responsibility.
Does building trust include saying, “I’m sorry”?
In some contexts, managers think that authority requires certainty, and that admitting a mistake weakens their position. But when something has clearly gone wrong and it is not acknowledged, people notice. Avoiding it doesn’t protect you. In fact, the opposite happens. Trust is lost, and quickly so.
Integrity, however, does build credibility. If you missed something, made the wrong call, or handled a situation poorly, say so. A simple, direct acknowledgment followed by a correction is usually enough: “I got that wrong. I should have addressed it earlier.”
Learn from it and don’t repeat it, because saying sorry too often is a whole different story. Acknowledging your mistakes and repairing them quickly can also give others permission to take responsibility for their own mistakes. And as a manager, the last thing you want is surprise mistakes popping up months later, when someone could have spoken up earlier.
This month, try this
Trust begins by being trustworthy. It’s really that simple. So, this month, choose one behaviour to practise. Whether it is closing small commitments, communicating earlier when plans shift, or sharing context so people understand why decisions were made, little actions add up.
Like what you read? Contact us to learn how Dr. Louise Lambert can come to your organization and share these behaviours on a larger scale.
The views expressed in this column are her own and do not represent the editorial position of Global Leaders Today.
