What are the best ways to build trust with senior stakeholders in a unionized workplace?

1 Communicate clearly and frequently

Communication is essential for establishing and maintaining trust with senior stakeholders. You need to communicate clearly and frequently about your goals, plans, progress, challenges, and results. You also need to listen actively and attentively to their feedback, concerns, and suggestions. Communication should be transparent, honest, and respectful, avoiding jargon, ambiguity, and hidden agendas. You should also use the appropriate channels and formats for communication, such as face-to-face meetings, phone calls, emails, reports, or presentations, depending on the situation and the preference of the stakeholder.

2 Align your actions with your words

Another way to build trust with senior stakeholders is to align your actions with your words. This means that you should follow through on your commitments, deliver on your promises, and meet or exceed their expectations. You should also be consistent and predictable in your behavior, avoiding surprises, changes, or deviations that may undermine your credibility. If you encounter any problems or delays that may affect your performance, you should inform the stakeholder as soon as possible and propose solutions or alternatives. You should also acknowledge and correct any mistakes or errors that you make, and take responsibility for your actions.

4 Understand and address their needs and interests

To build trust with senior stakeholders in a unionized workplace, you also need to understand and address their needs and interests. You need to identify what they value, what they expect, what they worry about, and what they aspire to. You also need to understand how they perceive the situation, the project, the union, and you. You can understand their needs and interests by conducting research, asking questions, observing their behavior, and listening to their opinions. You can address their needs and interests by providing them with relevant information, solutions, benefits, and opportunities that match their goals and priorities.

5 Build rapport and relationship

Finally, building trust with senior stakeholders in a unionized workplace requires building rapport and relationship with them. You need to establish a connection and a bond with them that goes beyond the professional level. You can build rapport and relationship by showing interest in them as a person, finding common ground, sharing personal stories, expressing empathy, and using humor. You can also build rapport and relationship by offering help, support, and guidance, seeking feedback and learning, and celebrating milestones and achievements. Building rapport and relationship can help you to create a positive and collaborative atmosphere, and to overcome any potential conflicts or barriers.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?