Community Lessons: On Building Trust as a Leader

This post is dedicated to our existing and aspiring project leaders! This is a big of a longer one, but bear with me - it's worth it if you're at all passionate about being/becoming a leader.

Of the many different leadership styles out there, our community's foundation is rooted in service leadership. Service leadership stands out for its human-centered approach, aimed to create an environment of trust, collaboration, and growth. It's not just about achieving short-term objectives; it's about building a better future for everyone involved. That’s what 7 Cups is about (see our culture guide if you want more context).

From the Admin to the Ambassadors to the Mentor Leaders, the Mentors, and all other levels, and the listeners, we are all in a position of service to the community, which means we are also in service to one another. We support each other by sharing our knowledge, backing each other up, giving, and receiving feedback, problem-solving, and all manner of cross-collaborating. Everything works only if we work together. Every leader is a critical part of our success as a completely human-driven, peer-powered platform.

Service leadership, especially in how it operates on 7 Cups, is a whole free course I strongly suggest you check out. These are skills you can use not only here but out in your everyday life, and professionally.

Today I am covering the importance of building trust. If you are a service leader in a role in which you oversee people, you won’t get very far if you’re people don’t feel they can trust you. The better the rapport, the higher the performance, the greater the collaboration, the happier the team.

Speaking from experience (aka all my failures and successes), here are the critical components to take into account to boost your team’s morale and earn their trust in you.

⭐ Communication: The one by which everything below is hinged on! The cornerstone of trust! Keep your team in the loop about project goals, expectations, and progress. Encourage team members to share their ideas, concerns, and feedback without fear of judgment.

⭐ Lead by Example: If you want to be trusted, demonstrate the behavior you expect from your team members. Show honesty, integrity, and accountability in your actions and decisions. If your team feels they can't come to you, that's a sign you need to analyze how you present yourself.

⭐ Empower and Delegate: Give your team members autonomy and ownership of their tasks. When they feel trusted to complete their responsibilities, they are more likely to step up and perform at their best. You don’t have to do everything (and you shouldn’t). Sharing the load shows that you trust your team members.

⭐ Active Listening: You all know what it is! Pay attention to your team members' thoughts and concerns. Actively listen when they share their opinions, and acknowledge their input. If they don’t feel comfortable sharing directly with you quite yet, I recommend giving them space with a form. Ask for their feedback. Don’t be afraid to put down a section to ask them for their constructive feedback for what you’re doing well and what you can do better. Remember, feedback is a gesture of caring. It’s not a judgment on your character. Do not shy away from it.

🔻 You might have to do things differently or change things that you’re not keen on, but there’s no I in team. Sometimes that means sacrificing for the greater good. Your team will notice your willingness to try and that’s a big deal and a sign of a good humble leader.

⭐ (Giving) Constructive Feedback: Provide feedback in a respectful and sensitive manner. Focus on helping team members grow and improve, rather than criticizing or blaming. (Have a short video.)

⭐ Recognition: Celebrate your team's achievements, both big and small. Publicly acknowledge their contributions and hard work. Forum shoutouts, 1:1 PMs, team dashboard announcements, anywhere that will make them feel visible and valued.

⭐ Consistency: Be consistent in your actions and decisions. Stick to your word, and follow through on commitments.

⭐ Be Reasonable With Expectations: Your peers are volunteers. They can’t be expected to show up every day. Be mindful of the quotas you set. Unreasonably high quotes are a slippery slope to burnout. Also be aware of your tone; and that you’re not putting pressure on your people. If you have concerns about their activity, talk to them openly.

⭐ Transparency: Involve your team in the decision-making process. Open discussions before making changes that will impact them. Explain the rationale behind your choices and how they align with the project's objectives. Share your vision and give your team space to expand it.

⭐ Accountability: Hold yourself accountable for your actions and decisions. Admit mistakes when they happen, and work with your team to find solutions.

Remember, trust is built over time through consistent actions and genuine interactions. It's not something that can be achieved overnight, but investing in building trust within your team will pay off in the long run with increased collaboration, productivity, and overall success.

🔻 Tl;DR If you want to be a trustworthy leader, listen to your people, share the work, be clear in your intentions, and remember that we’re together doing all this with the same purpose: to serve.

I'd like to extend the conversation to you all with questions for the 2 different groups:

1. Current leaders: What's worked for you? Is there anything listed above you didn't know before? Any tips or tools of the trade to share to help new and to-be leaders?
2. Aspiring leaders: What do you value in a good leader? What increases your trust in a leader? (Current leaders take note of these responses!)