How do great leaders build trust?

Trust is not earned. It is returned. It's called The Trust Loop. When you step into a new leadership role, there is often a silent question hanging in the air:

Can we trust you?

It does not matter whether you were promoted from within or hired from outside. Your team does not know how you respond to pressure, handle dissent, or treat people behind closed doors. Many new leaders try to build trust fast with welcome lunches, personal introductions, or one-on-one meetings. While those gestures may open the door, they do not build lasting trust.

Because trust is not something you earn with effort alone. It is something others choose to give back.

It grows in a loop.

It begins when you make an authentic connection. By showing your intent, sharing what you care about, and being honest about what you do not yet know. That creates a moment where someone on your team might take a risk. They speak up with a concern, challenge your thinking, or offer a bold idea. If you meet that leap with respect, the trust loop strengthens.

Again and again, moment by moment.

Paul Zak’s research published in Harvard Business Review shows that people working in high-trust environments report 74 percent less stress, 106 percent more energy at work, and 50 percent higher productivity. But those environments are not created by policies. They are shaped by leadership behavior. Consistently. Openly. Repeatedly.

A powerful example of this came from Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft. When he took the reins in 2014, Nadella inherited a strong company with a rigid culture. In interviews, he talked about trust not as a leadership tactic but as a foundation:

“You have to create clarity when none exists, you have to create energy when none exists, and you have to build trust when none exists.” His early move to model vulnerability, encourage learning, and shift the culture from “know-it-alls to learn-it-alls” helped re-establish Microsoft as one of the most admired companies in the world.

So how can you, as a leader, kickstart the trust loop with your team?

There are common practices that work for every level of leadership. From a newly appointed team leader to executive levels. Here are five practices you may consider:

1. Signal vulnerability early Acknowledge what you are learning. People already know you are new. When you own it, you invite connection.

2. Share the bigger picture Make the invisible visible. When you open up strategy conversations, people feel like insiders, not outsiders.

3. Respond with care when people take a risk When someone offers feedback or a new idea, resist the urge to defend yourself. Thank them. Ask follow-up questions.

4. Amplify quieter voices Notice who is speaking up and who is not. Shine a light on good ideas that might otherwise be overlooked.

5. Follow through on what you hear Nothing builds trust faster than action. If someone shares a concern and you do something about it, they will tell others. The loop grows.

Trust is not about charisma. It is not about charm. It is about showing people, again and again, that their voice matters.

And when they believe that, they do more than show up. They lean in.

If you want to develop your leadership style and could use the support and accountability of a coach to that end, reach out for a no-obligation coaching consultation.

Warm regards,

Tjessica Stegenga

Leadership & Team Coach