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Welcome to the exclusive Mind Tools members’ newsletter! Here’s your weekly collection of workplace insights, topical stories, and coaching tips – to inform, inspire and empower you at work.
This week we’re examining trust: what creates it, what breaks it, and why trust has such a powerful impact on everyone’s working life. And scroll down for our Tip of the Week and News Roundup.
Trust Matters
Time to Address Your Blind Spots
By Katherine Baldwin, Journalist and Wellbeing Expert
Some years ago, when I was employed by a global corporation, word got out that some colleagues were earning more than others for doing the same job. These higher earners were all male, outspoken, and adept at getting their voices heard.
As a diligent employee who gave her all to her work – yet who struggled to speak up for herself – this news smacked of unfairness. It shook my sense of trust in the people in charge, as well as in the structures and processes that underpinned the organization.
Yet I didn’t say anything. I didn’t feel safe enough to argue my case, nor did I think anything would change. Eventually, I moved on to an organization with a different culture, leaving my previous employer with a gap to fill and a new team member to train.
Trustworthy Organizations
The professional landscape has transformed since then. But when it comes to trust, some things haven’t changed.
Research shows that employees trust organizations that pay well, tell the truth, communicate clearly, and treat people fairly. Data also reveals that some leaders and managers remain oblivious to trust issues on the ground.
One third of employees said bias or mistreatment caused a lack of trust, and more than half said they left their company following the experience, according to the 2023 Trust Survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
Yet the same survey suggested that leaders were more concerned with headline-grabbing issues – such as security, compliance, and system failures – than with personal trust concerns.
In fact, the data shows a worrying disconnect between perception and reality. PwC found that 54 percent of employees – and half of consumers – reported experiencing a trust-damaging event, while only one fifth of business executives said their organization had been involved in one!
In further evidence of blind spots, 79 percent of business executives said that their employees trusted the company, while only 65 percent of employees agreed.
Trust Pays
We all know that trust is slow to earn but quick to lose. So leaders and managers would be wise to address these blind spots. This will take effort, but research shows that trust has a huge impact on profit.
Employees who trust their organizations will be more engaged, more productive, and less likely to leave, according to the Future of Trust report by Deloitte.
And in the PwC Trust Survey, most executives agreed that their ability to build and maintain trust improved the bottom line. So how can leaders and managers do this, especially in the face of new challenges, including remote working, increased data management, and AI?
Building Trust at Work
Robust reputation management and swift reactions to crises are as vital as ever, but Deloitte argues that building trust must now be a strategic priority, not an afterthought. It’s time to get proactive.
Taking a reality check would be a good place to start. Is there a gap between perceived and actual levels of trust within your team or organization?
Answering this question will involve getting out from behind your screen, connecting with people, and putting an ear to the ground. Do employees feel they’re paid fairly? Do they think their data’s safe? Is your communication with them clear? Find out if these basic needs are being met, or if there are other concerns.
Doing this could save your reputation. PwC found that nearly half of employees whose company had a trust-damaging event in the past year expected it to happen. That’s top-notch intelligence right there.
It’s also vital to build a strong company culture. People need to feel empowered to share their concerns – something that felt missing in the company I walked away from.
Organizations must also move with the times. Employees, driven by Gen Z and Millennials, want their employer to speak out on social issues such as the environment, according to Edelman’s 2023 Trust Barometer report. They also want to believe that their work has meaning – and that they have influence.
It’s a lot to juggle. But attending to these things will keep the “trust bank” topped up. If a trust issue does occur, you and your organization will have something to fall back on.
What's Next?
Ken Blanchard is a leadership expert with a particular interest in trust. He wrote the book “Trust Works!” in which he outlines four key drivers of trust, based on his “ABCD” model. To inspire trust, Ken says, you need to show that you’re Able, Believable, Connected, and Dependable. You can listen to or read our Book Insight review of “Trust Works!” on mindtools.com, plus we have an article and video exploring how to put the trust-building ABCD model into action.
“Psychological safety” is a term popularized by Amy Edmondson from Harvard Business School. It helps to explain why some people feel safe to be themselves and express their views freely, while others don’t. Trust features strongly in Amy’s work, and, in her exclusive interview for Mind Tools members, she explains that trust is built – or broken – not just by individuals but by entire organizations.
And when there’s work to be done, and an organization needs to regain or strengthen trust, the Cultural Web is a great place to start. It’s a proven way of unpicking what’s going on at company-culture level, understanding why people feel the way they do, and then doing the right things to build togetherness, shared purpose, and deep-seated trust.
What does all of this mean for you and your organization? What will you put into practice today?
Tip of the Week
Start at the End!
By Jonathan Hancock, Mind Tools Senior Editor/Writer
Here’s a project-planning tip from the book “How Big Things Get Done” by Bent Flyvberg and Dan Gardner. We met Dan for an Expert Interview, and in it he revealed a clever, counterintuitive idea about how we “picture” our plans.
Most people visualize a project from left to right: conception on the left, delivery on the right, and the various stages of work in between. But Gardner and Flyvbjerg noticed that projects work better if you reverse that, and start by focusing on the end of the process instead.
As Dan Gardner told us, “We don’t build bridges to have bridges; we don’t build roads to have roads. We build bridges because they deliver some benefit; we build roads because they deliver some benefit.”
So start at the end – or the “right” side of your plan. What do you want to achieve? Then work backward – looking “right to left” – to properly see all the things that will get you there!
Pain Points Podcast
Don't miss the latest episode of the Pain Points podcast!
This week, Jonathan Hancock and his Mind Tools Content-team guests discuss the pains and pleasures of vacations. Why’s it so hard to take time off? Is it ever right to stay connected while you’re away? And when you get home, how do you reacclimatize to professional life?
Hear stories, insights and tips from people who understand the challenges we all face at work – in “Pain Points,” the new podcast exclusive to Mind Tools members.
Keep an eye on your inbox for your unique link to the podcast, sent every Tuesday. You can listen on your browser or subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
News Roundup
This Week's Global Workplace Insights
The Direct Approach
Whether it’s getting a quick answer from a colleague, replying to a post on social media, or even exploring online dating, we’re all used to making speedy connections these days. So, when we spot a job advert, do we really need to go through a complicated application process? Or, like an increasing number of job seekers, could we just slide into the recruiter’s DMs instead?
Some companies and hiring managers are still wary of the direct approach, it seems, while others welcome it. And there are some important dos and don’ts to consider, if you want your approach to advertise you in the best possible way – and not get you blocked in seconds!
But in the right circumstances, and done well, going direct to the decision maker might just slide you into the job of your dreams.
Find out more in this story from BBC Worklife.
The Games People Play
If you grew up as the single-player destroyer of space invaders, or cut your gaming teeth in linear role-playing games, will you approach your work differently as a result? Will you find it harder to work with others, for example? Or maybe you’ll be more caught up on “finishing” challenges – compared with people who’ve only known collaborative, multi-layered, endless video games?
It’s a fascinating area to explore, and Jim Tan, from Singapore University of Social Sciences, has written a comment piece examining how his own attitudes to work have been shaped by gaming – including how he approaches teamworking, communication and leadership.
Whether it’s “Pong,” “Minecraft” or “Grand Theft Auto,” think about the video games that have had the most impact on you. Have they also affected how you’re “wired” at work?
Find out more in this TODAY article.
If that’s made you think about your own team’s ways of working, take a look at the Mind Tools video, Managing Different Generations.
And remember, you can hear these and other topical stories discussed in the weekly Mind Tools Pain Points podcast. Just check your inbox for your unique link.
See you next week for more member-exclusive content and insight from the Mind Tools team!
