Stepping into management is exciting—and let’s be real—a little intimidating. You’re not just responsible for projects anymore; you’re responsible for people. And here’s the kicker: without trust, even the smartest strategy will fall flat. The good news? Trust isn’t some mysterious quality you’re born with. It’s built, step by step, through consistent and authentic actions.

Start with Transparency

You don’t need to walk in the door pretending you have it all figured out. In fact, pretending usually backfires. Being upfront about your management style, your expectations, and even the fact that you’re learning goes a long way.

Ways to lean into transparency:

• Share your management philosophy early (even if it’s still evolving)
• Explain the why behind your decisions
• Admit when you’re new to something—it makes you more credible, not less
• Be clear about how you make decisions, so people know what to expect

Be Consistent in Your Actions

Nothing erodes trust faster than unpredictability. If you say you’ll follow up Friday, make sure Friday doesn’t turn into “sometime next week.” Consistency in the small things builds confidence that you’ll deliver on the big ones.

Places where consistency really matters:

• Showing up on time and ready for meetings
• Following through on commitments (even the small ones)
• Applying policies fairly—no “favorites”
• Maintaining a steady, approachable demeanor

Show Genuine Interest in Your Team

Nobody wants to feel like just a resource on a spreadsheet. If you want trust, you need to show that you actually see your people—their strengths, struggles, and aspirations.

Ways to show genuine care:

• Ask about career goals and listen to the answers
• Understand their preferred working styles (introvert? extrovert? async lover?)
• Remember personal details they share (kids, hobbies, passions)
• Check in on challenges and actively look for ways to help

Admit Your Mistakes

You will make mistakes. The difference between a manager people trust and one they don’t is how you handle them. Owning your missteps shows vulnerability, humility, and integrity.

Owning mistakes well means:

• Acknowledging the error quickly (no sweeping under the rug)
• Taking full responsibility—no finger pointing
• Explaining what you learned from it
• Outlining how you’ll do better next time

Protect Your Team

One of your biggest responsibilities as a manager is being a shield. Teams lose trust when they feel constantly exposed to politics, chaos, or unrealistic demands. When they see you fighting for them, trust builds fast.

Ways to protect your team:

• Buffer them from unnecessary organizational noise
• Advocate for their ideas in leadership forums
• Push for the resources they actually need
• Take the hit publicly when the team stumbles, and celebrate them when they succeed

Be Vulnerable and Human

“Perfect managers” aren’t relatable—they’re intimidating. The leaders people trust most are the ones who show a bit of humanity. That doesn’t mean oversharing every detail of your life; it means letting your team see that you’re a real person.

Healthy vulnerability looks like:

• Admitting when you don’t know something (and asking them for input)
• Requesting feedback on your management style
• Sharing appropriate personal challenges when relevant
• Showing emotion when the moment calls for it

The Trust Equation

One of my favorite models breaks trust into a simple equation:

Trust = (Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy) / Self-Orientation

• Credibility: Do they believe you know your stuff?
• Reliability: Can they count on you to follow through?
• Intimacy: Do they feel safe being honest with you?
• Self-Orientation: Are you more focused on them—or just yourself?

Spoiler: if your self-orientation is too high, the whole equation collapses.

Trust Takes Time

Trust isn’t something you announce—it’s something you earn. And it doesn’t happen overnight. It builds slowly through consistent actions, and yes, it can disappear in a flash if you break it.

A realistic trust-building timeline:

• Weeks 1–4: Show up, keep promises, be transparent
• Months 2–3: Demonstrate genuine care and start protecting the team
• Months 4–6: Model vulnerability and own your mistakes
• 6+ months: Deep trust forms, unlocking high-performance collaboration

The takeaway? Be patient, stay consistent, and don’t get discouraged if it feels slow. Your team is paying attention to every action, especially in your first 90 days.

Action step: Pick one person on your team and schedule a coffee chat this week. Ask about their goals, their frustrations, and their perspective. Your job in this meeting? Sa