By YEC
A culture of trust empowers employees to take ownership of their roles.
A culture of trust within an organization is key. It not only enhances team unity and strength, but empowers employees to take ownership of their roles and ultimately build a stronger business. However, trust doesn’t just happen. Developing a culture of trust requires deliberate actions taken by the company’s leaders.
Here, YEC members share their best strategies on how to build trust. Learn from their example.
What's one effective way a business leader can make trust a key part of their company's culture?
1. Be transparent
Be transparent. This means sharing the company's goals, challenges, and successes with employees and being honest about decision-making. To make this happen, leaders must create regular opportunities for open dialogue, such as town hall meetings or feedback sessions, and ensure they listen and respond to concerns and suggestions. This approach builds trust and encourages a culture of respect. —Kristin Kimberly Marquet, Marquet Media
2. Lead by example
In tough times, a true leader must embody and communicate a "we'll make it through together" mentality. By demonstrating unwavering commitment, leading by example, and consistently following through on your promises, your resilience and determination not only pushes through the darkness, but builds a culture of trust and collective perseverance to reinforce team unity and collective strength.—James Behmke, Behmke Innovation Group
3. Encourage workplace autonomy
We do a few things that I believe help cement trust in our company culture. First, we give all employees a level of autonomy that empowers them to take ownership of their role. Second, we give the flexibility for employees to make and learn from their mistakes. And third, we operate as an idea meritocracy, encouraging everyone to throw ideas at the wall, regardless of their role or tenure. —Jeff Cayley, KETL Mtn. Apparel
4. Ask employees for their feedback
Building trust is so hard in a company, especially if it's a large company. Employees are geared toward the idea that the company will cheat them in some way, so you have to overcome that stereotype—and that takes more than a retreat or two. The best way to start is to give them lots of chances to offer feedback. This can be through anonymous questionnaires, team discussions, or interviews. —Baruch Labunski, Rank Secure
5. Be transparent
Transparency and authenticity will always create trust in relationships. To have a culture of trust, you as the business owner need to be the example you are committed to creating. As leaders, we should always operate as the source of responsibility in the matter. If it’s to be, it’s up to me. Be the example of trust and see it unfold through your communication and behavior. —Ariya Malek, Educational Awakening Center
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6. Stop micromanaging
The best way business leaders can cultivate trust and make it a key part of the company culture is by giving end-to-end ownership of tasks to their team. They should encourage their team to take the lead and quit being micromanagers. By doing so, they will be conveying the message that they have faith in the capabilities of their team, which helps build a culture with trust as its foundation. —Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms
7. Accountability sets the tone
I've learned that accountability sets the tone for trust within a team. It starts with holding yourself to the highest standards, openly acknowledging mistakes, and taking responsibility for the outcomes—both positive and negative. In my experience, this strengthens trust among a team and establishes the foundation for a culture of integrity and transparency, which are vital for long-term success. —Thomas Smale, FE International
8. Promote from within
The best way to make trust a part of your company culture is to promote from within. Far too many business leaders look outside of their company for leadership positions, which tends to build distrust, and even resentment, in some employees. I advise making an effort to promote from within by working with your employees and identifying people with management and team lead potential. —John Turner, SeedProd
About the Author
Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most successful young entrepreneurs.
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