Trust is one of the most important factors in whether a team works well, whether a leader succeeds in the role – and to what extent an organisation manages to deliver results over time. For businesses that use interim managers or Management for Hire, trust becomes even more critical: An interim manager has little time to establish credibility, a sense of security and direction.
In this article you will learn:
What trust actually is
Why trust is crucial in modern leadership
Practical ways to build trust
What distinguishes interim managers from permanent leaders when it comes to building trust
Trust is about a sense of security, predictability and a belief that others act with good intentions. In an organisational context, this means that:
team members believe in the leader's integrity
colleagues share information and collaborate
employees dare to take risks and disagree without fear of negative consequences
Trust is built when people experience a leader as:
honest
competent
consistent
open
interested in others
In modern working life, especially in periods of uncertainty or change, trust is one of the most important resources a leader can develop.
Trust affects culture, results and the ability to execute. Research by Amy Edmondson (psychological safety) and Jeffrey Hall (relationship building), among others, shows that teams with a high level of trust:
People share information, problems and solutions more quickly.
They feel safe enough to contribute fully.
Psychological safety makes it easier to challenge established truths.
Collaboration flows better, and conflicts are resolved faster.
High internal trust is reflected in professionalism and stable operations.
Teams trust the direction, the decisions and the intentions behind changes.
In short: Trust is the very foundation of effective leadership – and absolutely crucial in roles that require rapid impact, such as interim management.
Research shows that it takes roughly 150–200 hours to establish strong, lasting relationships. Interpersonal contact and conversation are indispensable.
Admit mistakes
Be open about uncertainty
Make it safe to disagree
Psychological safety is the fastest route to a team with high trust.
Trust weakens in silence. Share information, intentions and the basis for your decisions.
Leadership is also about showing trust before you have “seen it proven”.
Explain why you do what you do. Openness creates a sense of security.
Good leaders take responsibility for their own mistakes – and protect the team.
Openly sharing knowledge creates respect and credibility. (#SharingIsCaring)
People place more trust in leaders who show genuine interest.
Understand what matters to others – especially during demanding change.
Unpredictability is one of the biggest threats to trust.
Professionalism creates a sense of security. Availability creates relationships.
Interim managers face a unique dilemma:
They must deliver results quickly – and build trust even faster.
While permanent leaders have months to establish themselves, interim managers meet teams that:
do not know them
may be unsettled
expect decisive action immediately
For interim managers, we therefore recommend the following:
People need to know why you are there and what you are going to solve.
This creates insight – and a sense of inclusion.
Early wins are key in interim management.
An interim manager shows strength by adjusting course.
This is built into the expectations of an interim manager – live up to it.
Regular meetings, status updates and visibility create a sense of security.
This builds credibility, especially when you are leading an organisation you do not know beforehand.
Trust takes time to build but only moments to lose. For leaders – and especially interim managers – it is about showing integrity, decisiveness, clarity and empathy from day one.
An interim manager who succeeds in this will not only get the team on board quickly, but also create lasting results in the organisation.
Trust in leadership is about a sense of security, predictability and a belief that the leader acts with integrity and good intentions.
Trust strengthens communication, collaboration, innovation, motivation and stability.
By being clear about goals, communicating well, listening actively, acting quickly and behaving professionally from day one.