How can you build trust and respect in a competitive workplace?

Open and honest communication is a life simplifier and a trust-builder, and it's the foundation of any relationship, be it between employer and employee, among colleagues, or with external partners. Consistently demonstrating the right behavior in these small acts helps shape an organization's culture.

Some of the best ways to win trust and respect is transparent communication. Carefrontation (taking and giving constructive feedbacks). Rewards and recognition for the efforts. Recognition is something that every employee look forward and it has been observed as a biggest trust and motivation factor. Pushing each other positively to do better every single time.

Almost everything can be measured in the workplace, from income and expenses to the temperature of your office. However, trust and respect are intangible values that cannot be quantified. As a result, it can be challenging to determine their effectiveness. Nevertheless, we can gauge the strength of trust and respect by assessing the happiness of our team and the satisfaction of our customers. In order to foster these values, it is essential to adopt an open-door policy that transcends hierarchical boundaries. While annual gatherings and award ceremonies are beneficial, it is equally important to prioritize emotional intelligence as a means to cultivate trust and respect within your organization.

Transparency between managers and coworkers is vital to building trust at work and better communication among the team members.

What builds trust and respect for me is authenticity in building relationships, transparency in communication, and consistency in all areas of leadership. The outcome was a display of uncovered potential, team cohesiveness, and a major boost in team morale.

I read somewhere that "Feedback is the breakfast of champions". Grow thick skin and go after head-strong mentors, seniors or people you look up to for their honest feedback. Once your idea has made it out of your brain with some form, it now belongs to this world. Let it grow. And this is for people who naturally struggle with giving out feedback. Try the sandwich method. Start with a compliment (make it personal) and now, insert your feedback (be polite) and close it again with a compliment. It should sound something like this, "Hey, dave. Thanks for the quick turnaround, I know I can always depend on you. If I can suggest something here <insert feedback>. Always a pleasure working with you." Practise makes the art of feedback perfect.

Being specific when giving feedback is key. General statements, either positive or negative, can leave people confused about what they did. Turn "You did a great job in yesterday's meeting." into "I really appreciate how prepared you were for yesterday's meeting. Your detailed analysis was impressive."

Feedback is always a key learner to someone for improving themselves and those who take it positively are always a winner. Giving feedback is equally important while receiving. It opens new learning pathways for an individual and more space to improve themselves.

Giving feedback is often times taken for granted but is absolutely essential. People need to know what they're doing well and where they can continue to improve themselves. One must keep in mind that the feedback should be constructive and is not a one size fits all activity. Getting to know the people will greatly help with this as you can tailor the feedback in a way that you know they will understand and will be well received.

One of my favorite questions to ask new employees is to "Tell me about a time in the past where you really felt recognized/appreciated for work that you did, and what made that stand out to you." Everyone is different and this helps me understand what kind of recognition motivates that particular person.

Appreciation and Recognition are the pillars of an individual personality and they make a strong base for the foundation of growth and success. If we appreciate someone for their hard work, then they are more motivated towards their work to prove its worth.

Engaging with your colleagues through informal conversations during lunchtime or outside office hours will help you understand them better as a person, not just as a workmate. It will create a better understanding of their perception of trust and respect in the workplace and how they prefer to collaborate and cooperate in a workplace setting. Insight taken and applied from these informal conversations will eventually grow the comfort and trust level among team members. Trust-based team generates more effective cooperation and collaboration, and as a result, organizational goals can be achieved more efficiently.

Although competitiveness can drive excellence, it's also important to prioritize collaboration and teamwork. Sharing knowledge and working together on projects can create a sense of unity and mutual respect.

Before one can truly lead by example, it's imperative to cultivate self-awareness. This foundational step provides a clear understanding of one's character and leadership preferences. As a result, leaders can adopt a transparent, fair, and open communication style that resonates with their team, all while maintaining their authentic selves.

Be Authentic and Genuine while connecting with people, create a personality when people feels to be around you, it creates trust and respect. Consistency in appreciating others creates magic, people are more likely to trust such leaders

Encouraging open communication in a competitive workplace can help foster collaboration, build trust, and improve overall team dynamics. Encourage professional development: Support employees' professional growth by providing opportunities for learning, skill development, and career advancement. When employees see that their organization is invested in their growth, they are more likely to trust and respect the company. Establish clear expectations and fairness: Set clear expectations for performance, behavior, and decision-making. Ensure that these expectations are consistent and applied fairly across all employees. Transparency and fairness in evaluations, promotions, and rewards build trust and confidence in the workplace.

Competition is often viewed as a form of conflict - which it can become if not tempered by the characteristics and sentiments shared above. Constructive, well-framed competition is healthy & brings out the best in us. For me, building respect & trust in a competitive workplace requires all of the points raised &: the ability to listen (attentively), assimilate (with an open mind), consider (objectively), to engage (with honesty & transparency) & then to make informed decisions (transparently, sharing your rationale). Your team & peers may not always agree with you but these traits will make it a lot easier for them to join you on the journey with understanding, and without resentment that they weren't heard or their opinions considered.

Building trust and respect in a competitive workplace involves several key strategies. Encouraging open communication, demonstrating consistency and reliability, being transparent and honest in dealings, actively listening to others' perspectives, valuing and acknowledging contributions, fostering a collaborative environment, and showing genuine empathy and support can significantly contribute to cultivating trust and respect among colleagues in a competitive work setting.