11 Trust and Communication
It is worth mentioning that trust and communication are very interconnected.
Communication helps improve trust
“When there is a lack of trust, there will be failings in communication […]”(Erdem et al, 2003, para 1.)
According to The Trust Equation, asking questions and actively listening to others decreases self-orientation (Trusted Advisor Associates, 2020b). Further, open and honest communication helps build credibility; both of these increase overall trustworthiness (Trusted Advisor Associates, 2020a). Additionally, the sharing of information transparently and the communication of feedback increases trust (Zak, 2017). Finally, discussing and sharing personal trust issues improves trust within a group (Mindtools, n.d).
Trust helps improve communication
“Trust is Critical in Communications” (Folkman, 2020, para. 3).
Increased trust leads to increased questioning, and more questioning means better communication (eg. seeking clarification), so less time is spent resolving miscommunications (Brownlee, 2019). On top of this, increased trust means individuals have more “goodwill” during communications, so they are more likely to assume positive intention behind emails or other messages (Brownlee, 2019). Finally. when there is trust, there is more communication of knowledge (Mindtools, n.d).
Try this activity to test your knowledge:
REFERENCES
Brownlee, D. (2019, Oct 20). 5 Reasons Why Trust Matters On Teams. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/danabrownlee/2019/10/20/5-reasons-why-trust-matters-on-teams/?sh=2f41b422d605
Erdem, F., Ozen, J., & Atsan, N. (2003). The relationship between trust and team performance. Work Study, 52(6), 337-340. https://ezproxy.kpu.ca:2443/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.kpu.ca:2443/scholarly-journals/relationship-between-trust-team-performance/docview/218368783/se-2?accountid=35875
Folkman, J. (2020, April 7). How Trust Affects Your Ability To Communicate And How To Fix It. Forbes,. https://www.forbes.com/sites/joefolkman/2020/04/07/how-trust-effects-your-ability-to-communicate-and-how-to-fix-it/?sh=34f15987acae
MindTools. (n.d). Building Trust Inside Your Team: Ways to Improve Team Cohesion. https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/building-trust-team.htm#:~:text=One%20way%20to%20build%20trust,family%2C%20or%20about%20their%20hobbies.
Trusted Advisor Associates. (2020a, March 19). The Trust Equation: Credibility & Reliability. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESf2XXZH9aw
Trusted Advisor Associates. (2020b, April 21). The Trust Equation: Self orientation. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfdcdfg_Mwc
Zak, P. J. (2017, January 1). The Neuroscience of Trust. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2017/01/the-neuroscience-of-trust
