Dear Readers,

Welcome back to our “1st Time Manager” series here at The Storyteller newsletter! In the last edition, we covered the essential leadership skills every new manager needs to develop. Today, we’re focusing on one of the most crucial elements of leadership success: Building Credibility and Trust within your team.

Why Credibility and Trust Are Essential for Managers

When you step into a managerial role, your effectiveness depends not only on your skills and experience but also on your ability to build trust and credibility with your team. Without trust, it’s difficult to foster collaboration, achieve alignment on goals, or motivate your team. Credibility is what reassures your team that you have the ability and integrity to lead them successfully.

In this newsletter, we will discuss practical strategies to build trust and credibility with your team and provide actionable steps to help you become a respected and effective leader.

Key Strategies for Building Credibility and Trust

1. Be Transparent and Honest:

   • Importance: Being open and transparent with your team builds trust and fosters an environment of mutual respect.

   • How to Apply: Communicate openly about decisions, challenges, and expectations. When you don’t know something, it’s okay to admit it. Trust grows when leaders are honest, even about uncertainties.

2. Consistency in Actions and Words:

   • Importance: Your team needs to know they can count on you to be consistent in your decisions and behavior.

   • How to Apply: If you set certain expectations or principles, stick to them. Avoid changing direction frequently or making decisions that conflict with the values you promote. Consistency helps build predictability, which in turn builds trust.

3. Lead by Example:

   • Importance: Your team will follow the behaviors you model. If you want your team to work hard, communicate openly, or take ownership of their work, you need to exemplify those traits.

   • How to Apply: Demonstrate the behavior you expect from your team. If you expect punctuality, be on time for meetings. If you expect accountability, own up to your mistakes.

4. Show Empathy and Support:

   • Importance: Building trust is about showing you care. When team members feel supported and valued, they are more likely to trust you.

   • How to Apply: Regularly check in with your team members on both professional and personal levels. Acknowledge their concerns and provide the necessary support or resources to help them succeed.

5. Deliver on Your Promises:

   • Importance: Following through on commitments builds credibility and shows your team that they can rely on you.

   • How to Apply: Whether it’s delivering results or providing resources for your team, make sure to fulfill promises. If you can’t meet a deadline or expectation, communicate openly and offer alternatives.

Personal Story: Building Trust Through Transparency

When I was first promoted to a managerial role, I learned the hard way that building trust requires more than just making decisions—it’s about how you communicate those decisions. Early on, I faced a situation where a significant project was delayed, and I hesitated to share this with my team, thinking it would create unnecessary anxiety. Instead, I told them that we were still on track, hoping that we would catch up soon.

Unfortunately, the delay became apparent, and when the team discovered that I hadn’t been fully transparent, it led to frustration and a lack of trust. I quickly realized that avoiding difficult conversations and withholding information, even with the best intentions, can damage credibility.

From then on, I committed to being more transparent, even when the news wasn’t positive. I found that my team appreciated my honesty and were more willing to collaborate on solutions when they were fully informed. This experience reinforced the importance of being open and clear in all communications, and it helped me regain their trust over time.

Actionable Tips for First-Time Managers

• Communicate Early and Often: Don’t wait until the last minute to share important information with your team. Frequent updates help establish transparency and trust.

• Acknowledge Mistakes: If you make a mistake or misjudge a situation, own it. Admitting errors openly will help you earn respect from your team.

• Be Accessible: Encourage your team to approach you with concerns or questions. Being available and approachable builds a sense of support and trust.

• Celebrate Wins and Address Setbacks: Recognize achievements and acknowledge setbacks with your team. It builds a culture of accountability and trust when you share both successes and challenges openly.

Recommended Reading

For further insights on building trust and credibility as a leader, we recommend "The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything" by Stephen M.R. Covey. This book explores how trust can be built and leveraged to drive team performance and success.

Join the Discussion

How do you build trust and credibility with your team? Share your experiences in our community forums at www.demalo-ent.com and let’s grow as leaders together!

Stay Tuned for Our Next Topic

In the next edition, we’ll explore "Managing Performance and Providing Feedback"—a critical skill for new managers to foster growth and improvement within their teams. Stay tuned!

Thank you for being a part of The Storyteller community. We are here to support you on your leadership journey, every step of the way.

Warm regards,

DeWayne Allen 
The StoryTeller
www.demalo-ent.com