Building relationships on trust

Creating a Culture of Transparency:
Building relationships on trust.

Riverstone Logistics

​Extra Mile Academy

Research indicates that trust is essential for human beings to cooperate and collaborate in their professional and personal relationships. So, what are the strategies you can use to build trust quickly with your colleagues and customers? Here are a few ideas, tested and verified by scientific research.

Trust – and why you can’t ignore it

​Why delegate when I can stress myself out and do it all solo like a hero with a to-do list?

1.Trust first. We tend to trust people who trust us. We are slow to trust those who do not trust us.

2.Show empathy. We often trust people who care about us. That’s why trust and empathy are often high in families.
3.Be reliable. We tend to trust people who are consistent and keep their word.

4 Demonstrate integrity. We tend to trust people who operate with strong ethical principles and who do not lie, who work collaboratively and who negotiate on a fair basis.

5. Prove competence. We tend to trust people with tasks if we know they are competent for the task.

6 Establish similarity. We tend to trust people who are familiar or similar to us. We build trust by finding things in common, looking for agreement and having similar perspectives.

7. Share information. We usually trust people who share information openly with us and do not hide things.

8. Be open. We tend to trust people who tell us how they really feel about things, and don’t pretend.

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General strategies for building trust

Multiple Choice

What is the first step to build trust, according to research?

• Wait until others show they trust you

• Share personal stories

• Trust first

• Ask questions

Multiple Choice

People are more likely to trust you if you show you care about them.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an example of being reliable at work?

• Cancelling a meeting last minute

• Doing what you promised, on time

• Telling others what they want to hear

• Keeping quiet to avoid conflict

Multiple Choice

You’re meeting a new client. Which trust-building strategy will help the most early in the relationship?

• Show empathy

• Talk only about business

• Use humor right away

• Avoid sharing opinions

Multiple Choice

What does it mean to demonstrate integrity in the workplace?

• Always agreeing with your manager

• Being honest and fair

• Keeping things to yourself

• Avoiding uncomfortable feedback

Multiple Choice

How can you show competence in a new project?

• Take full control without asking

• Wait for someone else to lead

• Let others know your experience and follow through

• Pretend to know more than you do

Multiple Choice

Scenario: You discover you and your new teammate both love hiking. What trust-building strategy are you using?

• Be open

• Share information

• Establish similarity

• Be reliable

Multiple Choice

Why is sharing information important for building trust?

• It shows you’re smart

• It helps avoid work

• It shows transparency and creates openness

• It impresses leadership

Multiple Choice

You say, “Honestly, I’m a little worried about this timeline.” What strategy are you using?

• Prove competence

• Be open

• Show empathy

• Trust first

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is not a trust-building strategy from the list?

• Be open

• Ignore conflict

• Establish similarity

• Prove competence