Has the Trust Been Broken?

How to Repair Trust

Insight from Rameel Sheikh

I've learned that it's important to initiate the conversation as soon as possible. But also to make sure that the rift is noticeable enough that it's truly impacting our work.

I prefer to speak in person, ideally outside of the office on neutral ground. I'm careful to:

• speak only from my perspective

• assume good will on their side

• tether my concern to a specific example.

I've found that it's crucial to tell the person that I value them and our relationship, even if I'm the angry or injured party.

I've seen too many managers get increasingly frustrated with an employee without ever saying anything. And then suddenly fire the employee.

If I hear someone villainizing their co-workers instead of focusing on the company's goals, I use the Trust Equation as a diagnostic tool. This sounds silly, but I try to assign numbers to the variables in the equation.

I rate the person's credibility, reliability, authenticity, and self-interest on a scale of 1 to 10. The goal is to cool down the negative emotions.

This helps crystallize my thinking, remove some of the heated emotion, and recognize what someone is doing well.

I also find it valuable to run separate equations for each project the person has worked on with me, recognizing nuance and avoiding unnecessary write-offs.

Does this feel a bit robotic? Yes.

Does this work to diffuse a tense situation? Also yes.

Learn More: On how to regain your customer’s trust