5 Ways New Leaders (Accidentally) Erode Trust on Their Teams

Here are five common ways new leaders unwittingly erode trust, and how to avoid them:

1. Using your expertise to coach or “help.” It can be hard to let go of the expertise and work that set you apart as an individual contributor. But micromanaging or handholding your direct reports won’t help build trust. Instead, make an effort to help your direct reports master their tasks and projects in their own way.
2. Trying to build rapport and a sense of “egalitarianism.” Once you become a leader, the relational boundaries with your former peers must shift. Instead of pretending like nothing has changed, have a conversation with each person on your team to clarify what they can expect from you as their leader.
3. Trying to build confidence by looking confident. Overconfidence can actually dilute trust by making you come across as overly self-reliant, inauthentic, and out of touch. Instead, you must balance confidence with humility, authenticity, and vulnerability
4. Checking in to make sure everyone is “ok.” In excess, check-ins can begin to erode trust on your team, particularly if you get defensive or don’t act on your direct reports’ feedback. Before seeking feedback from your team members, ask yourself if you’re motivated by an actual desire to learn and adjust, or an unconscious need for validation and reassurance.
5. Building credibility through past successes. Overly relying on your past usually backfires. A better source of credibility, and therefore trust, is your curiosity. Ask your team questions about what they’ve tried to address current challenges, or what ideas they’ve felt haven’t been heard before.