In the past four months alone, we have heard a consistent theme from our clients. Engagement scores have gone down dramatically in 2025, and much of this drop is due to a loss of trust in leadership. While I don’t believe those results are entirely due to leaders being less trustworthy, the spotlight has grown brighter on leaders to build more trust and demonstrate that the workplace is a trusted environment. Leaders also need to do a better job of giving trust to others in order to earn more trust as part of the relationship contract.
So what do we need to do differently to raise the bar on trust?
First, understand which of our behaviors build trust and which erode trust. If 100 small things contribute to building trust, awareness of those “small things” is critical before we can make any adjustments.
In a recent Signature Premier program with VP+-level executives, the group was asked to define trust. Those definitions were varied, and the group found this to be a more difficult task than anticipated. But when asking the group to define mistrust? It was easy to find examples, and each description brought physical and emotional reactions to the forefront.
Our next step was to identify a leader we trusted, and one who gave a feeling of mistrust. The group then began listing behaviors and actions that showed up when trust was felt and behaviors that caused mistrust:
When looking at both lists, the leaders in the room realized they had actions on the mistrust list that they owned, even if unintentional! Self-awareness is the first part of understanding how trust is created, but it also opens our eyes when actions, even small ones, can make someone look untrustworthy.
Here’s the challenge―it takes many small actions to build trust over time, but it doesn’t take much to upset that equation and tilt toward mistrust.
Using the words of Kevin Plank, founder and CEO of Under Armour, this can be said another way:
Trust is built in drops and lost in buckets.
If more trust is needed, how do we, as leaders, increase it? We do it one drop at a time. (And we avoid falling into the list of actions driving mistrust!)
As I look at the Trust list, I will highlight a few behaviors that don’t require new skill building. They are done with real interest and time, which is all it takes to help raise your level of trust.
Be visible: For instance, the word “visible” is hugely important today. As companies go through crises or transformations, or people are just busy, busy, busy, they keep their heads down to be focused. But this is the time when visibility is even more important. Leaders need to be seen. They need to engage with people and ask them questions. Show care in how someone else is feeling. It doesn’t mean you have to have the answers, but staying hidden causes the perception that you are also hiding information.
Active listening: Body language, eye contact, leaning in, and then keeping your mouth shut when someone is describing something or sharing their thoughts or their angsts. Jumping in with commentary too soon shows up as self-interest or putting your agenda over theirs.
Show your personal side: It is said you can begin to build trust with someone within the first 60 seconds of meeting them, if you can find something in common. A commonality can even be as small as you both have cats. Relatability and common ground are foundational to building trust, but it takes a minute to share some things about yourself. Vulnerability is valued, and it doesn’t mean sharing your deepest personal information. Sharing you don’t have the answer, owning a mistake, taking a moment to express what concerns or fears you have, go a long way to building bridges with others.
While the lists of actions under Trust and Mistrust are long, the good news is you can pick a few things to increase trust. The three I mentioned all have immediate outcomes. On the mistrust side, check your behaviors. How many of these things are you doing because you are rushed? Which ones may be being done unintentionally? Removing these actions will go a long way to tipping the scale back to building trust.
Focus on building trust, and everything else you need to tackle as a leader will become easier.
Trust me.
About the Author
Carol Seymour: Global Executive, Speaker, Author and Founder of Signature Leaders
Carol Seymour is a sought-after business leader and seasoned global executive of large and mid-cap size companies and private-equity backed turnarounds.
She founded Signature Leaders in 2013 which focuses on accelerating women into next level leadership and helping leaders create greater impact and influence. Signature Leaders was recognized last year as one of Inc. 5000 “Fastest Growing Private Companies”.
The Signature series of leadership offerings support the growth of women from Manager level up to and including C-suite executives. Today, more than 3000 global leaders across 6 continents have experienced a Signature program. Signature Leaders partners with more than 140 market-leading companies for their selective investments.
Carol is also a Founding Member of Paradigm for Parity and named one of the Top 40 Women Keynote Speakers for 2020 by RealLeaders Magazine.
Carol resides in Cashiers, NC. She has two married children, three granddaughters, and a grandson.
