The Trust Reset: How Great Leaders Rebuild What’s Been Broken
Trust isn’t lost in a single moment. It slips away gradually through missed expectations, unclear communication, or broken promises. In today’s fast-paced workplace, especially with hybrid teams and constant change, trust has never been more fragile or more essential.
Drawing from years of corporate experience and national research on resilience and workplace performance, I’ve developed a 4-step Trust Reset leaders can use to repair and rebuild relationships. Whether you’re working with a disengaged employee or trying to recover from an organizational misstep, these principles work across the board.
Here’s how to rebuild trust that lasts:
1. Statement of Ownership
Start with a single sentence that acknowledges something went wrong. Don’t overexplain, just own what needs to be owned.
2. Commitment to Move Forward
Make it clear that you’re committed to a new path, one that honors what happened but focuses on the future.
3. A Specific Plan
Lay out what’s going to change: timelines, deliverables, or behavior shifts. Clarity builds confidence.
4. Ask for Their Commitment
Finally, open the door for partnership. Ask, “Will you work with me on this?” or “Under what conditions would you be willing to move forward?”
This isn’t about sweeping things under the rug. A true trust reset gives your employees the confidence that the lesson has been learned and that better days are ahead with proof.
If your team is stuck, consider where trust may have eroded and use these steps to begin rebuilding.