GUEST POST from David Burkus
Most new leaders know they need to build trust with their team. But here’s where it gets tricky: what if it’s not your team — at least, not yet?
Imagine stepping into a leadership role where you didn’t get to pick the team. Maybe you were hired from outside the organization. Maybe you were promoted from another department. Either way, you’re the new leader, and the team you’re inheriting doesn’t know you yet. You don’t know if they’ve been burned before by a previous boss. You don’t know what scars or successes they carry. What you do know is that you need to build trust — and fast.
This is where most new leaders stumble. They try to shortcut the process. They launch a flurry of team-building exercises. They host lunches. They schedule marathon one-on-one meetings. These efforts come from a good place, but they often miss the mark. Because trust isn’t actually built. Trust isn’t even earned. Trust is reciprocated.
And if you’re serious about developing trust with a new team, you need to understand how that trust loop really works — and how to keep it moving forward.
Why Traditional Trust-Building Strategies Fall Short
When stepping into a new leadership role, it’s tempting to think that trust builds linearly — more lunches, more meetings, more smiles equals more trust. But that’s not how trust actually grows.
Trust moves in a loop, not a line. It starts with a small trust connection — maybe a conversation over coffee — and invites a tiny leap of faith from your team. Someone shares a new idea or dares to give you honest feedback. If you respond with respect — if you listen, appreciate, and show genuine curiosity — you complete the loop. You signal: It’s safe to trust me.
That small leap leads to slightly bigger risks. More candid conversations. More creative ideas. More vulnerability across the board. If you keep meeting those risks with respect, the trust loop keeps spinning faster and stronger. But if you miss those moments — or worse, get defensive — you stop the loop cold.
For a new leader, mastering this trust loop is everything.
How a New Leader Can Truly Build Trust
Building trust with a team you didn’t pick requires deliberate, daily actions. Here are four research-backed strategies to get the trust loop turning — and keep it spinning.
1. Signal Vulnerability Early
Everyone already knows you’re new. They know you don’t have all the answers yet. Pretending otherwise just makes you seem insecure or out of touch. Instead, lean into your newness.
Say things like, “I’m still learning how this team works.” Then prove it by listening. Create a space where people feel safe to teach you. This early show of vulnerability sparks empathy — and empathy is the gateway to trust.
When a new leader admits they don’t have it all figured out, it invites others to open up, too. It shows that you’re not just here to impose your will — you’re here to learn and lead together.
2. Share Information Transparently
Eventually, as the new leader, you will need to drive change. That’s probably part of why you were brought in. But when you do, don’t operate behind closed doors.
Instead, treat your team like insiders. Pull back the curtain. Share early information about strategy shifts or organizational changes. Say things like, “This isn’t finalized yet, but here’s what I’m hearing and thinking — and I’d love your perspective.
Transparency builds belonging. It signals, I trust you with this information. And when people feel trusted, they’re much more likely to trust you in return.
3. Respond to Vulnerability with Respect
When your team members finally take a risk — whether it’s sharing a frustration, giving you feedback, or floating a bold idea — recognize it for what it is: a test.
They’re not trying to undermine you. They’re trying to see if you’re the real deal.
Your job isn’t to defend your decisions or your leadership history. It’s to listen. Ask clarifying questions. Thank them for being honest. Engage with their ideas sincerely — even if you don’t ultimately agree.
The way you respond to those early leaps of faith will define whether the trust loop accelerates — or seizes up.
4. Amplify Unheard Voices
One of the easiest ways to build trust with a new team is to ensure every voice is heard, especially the quieter ones. When historically quiet team members finally speak up, make it clear their input matters. Amplify their ideas in meetings. Circle back to them in discussions. Let the entire team see that contributions aren’t just tolerated — they’re valued. Without open communication, hierarchy and politics creep in fast. By contrast, when people feel heard and respected, they lean in with greater commitment and creativity.
Trust First, Change Second
Inheriting a team is tough. You’re stepping into a culture you didn’t create, with dynamics you don’t fully understand yet. And because you’re the new leader, it’s tempting to rush into action — prove yourself, make changes, shake things up. Resist that temptation.
The real work of a new leader is not about being liked. It’s about being vulnerable. Encouraging interpersonal risks. Meeting those risks with deep respect. That’s how you build trust. That’s how you turn a group of individuals into a committed team.
Because at the end of the day, you don’t want a compliant team that simply does what they’re told. You want a committed team that’s ready to go above and beyond — and commitment always starts with trust.
Image credit: Pixabay
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