The Key to Building Trust at Work

“Trust is not built in big, sweeping moments. It’s built in tiny moments every day.” – Brené Brown.

Trust is the foundation of all meaningful relationships, both in the workplace and beyond. It allows teams to succeed individuals to grow, and relationships to deepen.

Yet, many of us know what it feels like when trust is broken when someone we rely on acts against us or fails to meet our expectations. The sting of betrayal can linger for years, reminding us how fragile and essential trust truly is.

In this blog, we’ll explore how listening and presence play an important role in building trust. Through real-life examples and practical guidance, we’ll examine how small, intentional actions can foster trust in both professional and personal settings.

Jump to content: 

• Why Trust Matters at Work
• The Role of Psychological Safety in Trust
• What Trust Looks Like in Action
• The Foundations of Trust
• Presence as a Trust-Building Practice
• Trust in Coaching Conversations
• The Ripple Effect of Trust

Why Trust Matters at Work

Trust is fundamental to well-being and performance. In Patrick Lencioni’s model of high-performing teams, trust is identified as the foundation upon which all successful teams are built.

Without trust, teams struggle with communication, conflict, and collaboration. With trust, teams can address disagreements openly, make decisions efficiently, and innovate effectively.

But trust at work is more than just functionality. It is about creating a culture where people feel safe to be themselves, to voice their ideas, and to take risks without fear of judgment or retribution. When trust is absent, it breeds insecurity and resentment.

People feel judged, suspect hidden agendas, and struggle with inconsistent behaviour. This lack of trust not only harms relationships but also diminishes productivity and well-being.

People at work want to feel safe. They want to feel like they can trust their leaders. This is also known as building psychological safety at work. So what is psychological safety?

The Role of Psychological Safety in Trust

Psychological safety is the sense of security that allows people to express themselves without fear of embarrassment, rejection, or punishment. It is one of the most critical elements of trust at work.

When people feel psychologically safe, they are more likely to share ideas, voice concerns, and take risks that lead to growth and innovation. In teams where psychological safety is present, individuals are comfortable being vulnerable.

They know they can admit mistakes, ask questions, or challenge ideas without risking their reputation. This openness is essential for collaboration and problem-solving, as it enables the free flow of thoughts and ideas.

Leaders play an important role in creating psychological safety. By demonstrating empathy, encouraging open dialogue, and showing vulnerability, leaders can foster an environment where trust thrives.

For example, asking team members how they are doing, acknowledging mistakes, or inviting diverse perspectives can signal that it is safe to speak up. Psychological safety is also closely tied to listening and presence.

When leaders listen deeply and remain fully present, they create a sense of value and respect that reassures individuals. This act of listening helps to build trust and reinforces the feeling that it is safe to contribute.

What Trust Looks Like in Action

We ask people on our coaching programmes what trust looks like – how do we know when it is there?

1. With trust, people say, the others took time to understand them, they didn’t judge.
2. They kept confidence and they empathised.
3. There was a genuine sense of concern about others and a felt sense of wholeheartedness and caring.
4. Trusting managers and colleagues engaged personally and were also vulnerable and authentic.
5. They took risks on people – trusting that if they couldn’t rise to the challenge they would let them know.
6. They were also trustworthy themselves – if they said they would do something they did.

These small but powerful actions build trust over time. They demonstrate that we value others and are invested in their success.

Importantly, they also create psychological safety – a space where people feel comfortable sharing openly and honestly.

Listening and Presence: The Foundations of Trust

So how do we start? One of the most profound ways to build trust is through listening and presence. To truly listen is to communicate that someone’s thoughts, feelings, and perspectives matter. It is an act of respect and care that strengthens relationships at their core.

Being present goes hand in hand with listening. It is about giving someone your undivided attention, free from distractions or preoccupations.

Together, listening and presence create an environment of safety and connection, which is essential for trust to flourish.

The 80/20 Rule: Listening More, Talking Less

A senior leader I worked with experienced a significant shift in their team dynamics when they applied the 80/20 rule. During a coaching session, we reflected on how much they were talking versus listening. They were speaking 80 percent of the time and listening only 20 percent. This imbalance hindered their team’s ability to share ideas and feel heard.

When the leader reversed the ratio the change was immediate.

Their team began to open up, share solutions, and feel empowered. Trust grew because the team felt valued and respected. This simple adjustment, speaking less and listening more, was a game-changer. 

Presence as a Trust-Building Practice

Presence, the act of being fully in the moment with someone, is a key element of trust. It requires us to set aside distractions and focus entirely on the other person.

Here is how presence builds trust:

• It shows respect, communicating that we value the other person
• It demonstrates care and investment in their well-being
• It fosters openness and creates a safe space for dialogue. Even small moments of presence can make a big difference.

For example, stopping what you are doing when someone approaches you at work, turning to face them, and giving them your attention can strengthen trust. Similarly, during virtual meetings, turning off distractions and focusing on the conversation signals respect and care.

Listening Beyond Words

Listening deeply is about more than just hearing words. It involves tuning into the whole person, their tone, body language, and emotions. This type of listening allows us to understand the deeper meaning behind what is being said.

Nancy Klein, author of Time to Think, emphasizes that the quality of our attention impacts the quality of others’ thinking. By listening deeply, we create a space where others can think more clearly and explore their own wisdom. Reflecting their exact words back to them, not our interpretation, can lead to new insights and deeper trust.

Trust in Coaching Conversations

Now that we are aware of the foundations of trust, let’s know talk about trust in coaching.

Coaching offers a unique lens through which to view trust. In coaching conversations, trust is the foundation that allows clients to explore their thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment. Building trust in this context requires specific actions:

• Confidentiality: Upholding ethical standards to ensure privacy.
• Respect: Valuing the client’s perspective, even if it differs from our own.
• Empathy: Demonstrating care and understanding.
• Reliability: Being punctual, prepared, and consistent.
• Empowerment: Encouraging clients to trust their own insights and decisions.

A simple yet powerful exercise we use in our programs involves listening without interruption for three to five minutes. Participants nod, smile, and give their full attention without speaking. This act of focused listening often leads to profound shifts as people feel truly heard and begin to trust their own thoughts and ideas.

Practical Tips for Building Trust Through Listening and Presence

Building trust does not require grand gestures. It is about small, intentional actions that accumulate over time. Here are some practical ways to get started:

1. Stop and Listen: When someone speaks to you, pause what you are doing, make eye contact, and give them your full attention.
2. Reflect and Clarify: Repeat back what you have heard to ensure understanding. For example, “What I am hearing is… Did I get that right?” Ask Open-Ended Questions: Encourage deeper dialogue by asking, “What do you think?” or “How do you feel about this?”
3. Resist the Urge to Solve: Focus on listening rather than offering advice or solutions.
4. Be Consistent: Trust is built through consistency. Show up on time, follow through on commitments, and honour your word.

The Ripple Effect of Trust

So are you ready to put it all into practice? Perhaps you can start by evaluating the small things you can change daily to build your trust with the people you work with.

When we build trust through listening and presence, the impact extends beyond individual relationships. Teams become more collaborative, workplaces become more inclusive, and individuals feel empowered to contribute their best.

For leaders, this ripple effect is particularly important. By modeling trust-building behaviours, they create a culture where trust flourishes. This, in turn, drives innovation, resilience, and success. You can read more about the impact of coaching in our blog. 

To sum up…

In coaching conversations, we can build trust based on this. Perhaps the most important starting point is that we can hold confidentiality.

This is central to coaching and part of a coach’s ethical practice. Showing respect for the other person helps to build trust – even if we disagree we can respect their views. We can demonstrate empathy and compassion. Small things like keeping to agreements helps – for example, being on time for the conversation.

We can build trust by sharing small examples of our own experience, especially if it helps our coachee to feel they are not alone in their experience. We can also encourage people to trust themselves and their own views and opinions.

Within our Level 1 coaching programme, we provide guidance on cultivating both interpersonal trust and client relationships. You no longer have to depend on guesswork; instead, you can naturally facilitate the authentic flow of trust in your conversations.

How will you build trust today? Whether it is pausing to listen to a colleague, respecting a team member’s perspective, or following through on a promise, remember that trust is built in tiny moments every day. Together, these moments create the foundation for lasting relationships and meaningful connections.

About the Author

Jean Balfour is Managing Director of Bailey Balfour and Programme Director of our ICF Accredited Coach Training Programmes. Jean is passionate about helping people to have good conversations both at work and at home. She believes that coaching is a life skill and that you never regret learning to coach.

Read more