How can you build trust with skeptical community members?

In my experience you build trust by being honest about your intentions and sharing power over decision making with all participants.

I do what is listed as the opening salvo in this conversation and will add a few thoughts. Listen. Ask for their opinions and use that information. Follow (their leadership and your guidance) with a sense of purpose and encouragement. Celebrate the progress, success, landmarks. Speak truth with a positive tone.

In my experience, the best way to build trust is to communicate as clearly as possible with plain language that is inclusive and persuasive. And, keep showing up!

When I enter a new tribal community I consciously remain quiet for at least the first six months. I watch, listen, make no demands and few requests. I remain guided by continually asking the question "what is my least disruptive (but still proper) response?" to any interaction or situation. Trust comes tough on the ground in Indian Country. Finding allyships with members, staff and leaders who understand mission objectives is clutch for what I do. Often that takes a couple of years. I have seen lots of folks flame out by not observing the principles this article lays out.

Start with interviews. Ask folks who have been there awhile about the issues. Interview retired government staff. Take the time to read old newspaper articles, reports, policies. Don't expect the community to do this work for you.

During this stage, it is important that you manage expectations carefully, and do not make promises you might not be able to deliver on. In the spirit of trust, be as transparent as possible about what your project can or cannot do for the community. Ask for inputs/suggestions from the community about your project - as the beneficiaries, they are in a better position than you are, to understand what their needs are. Continue to ask for feedback as you progress with the implementation of your project

When institutions encounter a skeptical community, they often think better communication will get them out of their problems. (This is often called the "magic bullet" theory of communication.) If we just say the right words, they think, the conflict will dissolve, the community will come to our side, and we can get back to what we want to do. Yet, this strategy assumes that communication is a one-way, top-down phenomenon. We have to create spaces to bring in information from multiple directions--above us, below us, and to the side--and listen to the things we don't want to hear. Communities know when you're not willing to do this work, and they behave accordingly.

Acknowledging and honoring the perspectives of all community members can provide an entry point into a productive exchange of ideas. It can also lead to finding common ground on the basis of shared values. If I know someone is passionate about children’s rights, we can engage from a place of shared values through clear, honest information and open dialogue. And when it comes to non-profit management, trust is everything. Communicate clearly and honestly with your clients, colleagues and employees to build a rock-solid foundation for growth within and outside of your organization.

As a leader, you can build trust by being honest and transparent, respectful and listening carefully, consistent and reliable, and building relationships with them. This means being open about your plans and goals and being willing to listen to and address their concerns. It also means following through on your commitments and showing that you care about their well-being. By taking these steps, you can build trust and rapport with skeptical community members, and create a more collaborative and inclusive environment.

I agree with all that is said here, however in my experience the communities themselves are simply not used to this ideal way of communication, in which case there is a great chance to frighten them. Therefore after you undestand the community well enough, you have to build up a communication that is accustomed to them and develops over time towards what’s expressed here. Tom Senninger’s Learning Zone Model can not only be applied to individuals but also communities. Therefore we have to be very careful even in communication not to drag the community right into panic zone, but move them out of their comfort zone into the area where they can learn and change. This is crucial if you want to see any developments.

An example of how you might get the community involved is by inviting members to join a forum, a committee, or making events free in order to solicit their presence. Also, survey there interests: find out what they want or what issues are important to them. Most people support what they’re passionate about.

The co-production approach has emerged in recent years to become a best practice resulting from what could be described as the evolution of participatory frameworks. One of the key strengths of this approach that is consistently being highlighted is the ownership and trust element that emanates from this approach. Its effectiveness is, then arguably, based, in large part, on the manner in which the concerns and priorities of impacted communities get embedded into the initiative in question.

I would argue that you need to go beyond baseline “involvement” but to focus more on collaboration, partnership, and leadership. Those impacted can and should be your most important partners.

I highly recommend using a “Human-Centered Design” technique: 1. User Focus: Human-centered design prioritizes the needs and preferences of end users throughout the design process. 2. Iterative Approach: It involves an iterative cycle of research, prototyping, and testing to continually refine and improve a product or service. 3. Empathetic Solutions: It aims to create solutions that resonate with users by understanding their perspectives, behaviors, and emotions. Above all, LISTEN first. Are you (or your service) really needed? Is it the most urgent priority? Listen to your stakeholders and impacted groups before implementation.

Involving the community at every project stage fosters trust. Seek their input, respect their opinions, and encourage participation. This creates a sense of ownership and empowerment, while recognizing their contributions enhances trust and project effectiveness.

Be careful not to externally identify community leaders when collaborating. Leaders should emerge from the work. Do not rely on printed reports and planning documents to tell you the full story about partners. Look for the work. Look for measurable change in your common area of interest. Be careful about relying on gatekeepers to identify partners. Spend time engaging with potential partners prior to collaborating to really understand the intentions fueling their work.

Far too often nonprofit workers want to be the hero of the story. That means that others already working in the area are seen as threats rather than allies. This leads to duplication and competition between non-profits and community workers. We need to see that success is only success when the community wins, not when WE fix the problems. This means that we need to spend time with others who are addressing the same issues we are addressing, even if we don't agree with their approach or philosophy, we can still learn from one another for the sake of the community. So often a critical issue faced by underserved communities is conflict. If those serving are also in conflict, true reconciliation cannot take place.

Efficient planning encompasses prioritizing work and delineating specific tasks to accomplish objectives. Clearly dividing responsibilities among partners fosters transparency and empowers them to effectively carry out their assigned duties. Trusting their abilities instills a sense of accountability, driving their determination and perseverance towards attaining the desired goal.

We are better together. When I applied for grants, I invited people to participate and gave them a portion of the grant. It makes projects more sustainable and robust.

Collaboration with partners is much more striated and segmented than one would like to admit. Knowing when to connect and disconnect is essential to be efficient in the many steps towards achieving the common goal. Too many partners at the same time or during the continuum can create lag and friction. Best was to to clearly define roles, risks, rewards and criteria to be a partner and the benchmarks of integrity, urgency, and excellence, and incentives in all collaboration.

Another term for this? Transparency. It’s critical to check in regularly with your community. Share updates about your ongoing work, even when things don’t go to plan, and invite your partners or supporters behind the scenes to get a better idea of what and how things are going. Transparent communication can go a long way in humanizing business processes — in any industry.

Being accountable and responsive is vital for maintaining trust. To summarize: 1. Follow-Through: Deliver on promises and commitments consistently. 2. Monitoring and Evaluation: Continuously assess the project's progress and share findings with the community and partners. 3. Openness to Feedback: Encourage feedback and address concerns with respect and promptness. By upholding accountability and responsiveness, you reinforce trust and demonstrate your commitment to the community and project's success.

Following the completion of the project, my partner's lack of accountability and transparency led to the unfortunate consequence of his current societal exclusion and lack of support in fulfilling community responsibilities. This valuable lesson prompts careful consideration when selecting partners in practical endeavors.

In the nonprofit world, keeping our promises is more than just trust-building; it's the heartbeat of our connections with the community and partners. We're all about open and honest communication, always looking for ways to do things even better. By being there to listen, embracing feedback, and tackling issues head-on, we not only maintain trust but also stay on the same wavelength as our community and partners.

As a leader, I always work to center empathy and respect. We know data and impact are important but if we forget the faces and the humanity beyond the numbers, it can be too easy to lose sight of the mission and purpose – the reason we get up every morning and do our work. So often in business, many leaders fall into the trap of looking at and thinking in numbers; but it’s absolutely critical to remember the person behind every datum. Lead with your humanity and your respect for others, and let the numbers and data come second — always.

My experience has been the to show genuine respect, empathy, and humility, and avoid making assumptions or judgments that can harm your trust. We must approach them with compassion and humility. While acknowledging the pain and suffering that they have experienced and validate their feelings.Oct 5, 2023

One of my non-profit roles is as a Treasurer of a charity and another is as a senior volunteer for a professional body. In both cases, talking to everyone I meet as an equal puts everyone at their ease.

Managing expectations involves clear communication of the organization's mission, capabilities, and services, ensuring that community members understand both the possibilities and limitations. Setting realistic, achievable goals, along with consistent adherence to stated objectives, conveys the organization's dedication and reliability over time. Active listening and responsiveness to community feedback aid in aligning expectations with actual experiences, building trust. Transparency in financial reporting, along with open communication about boundaries and limitations, further reinforces integrity.

Reflecting on our role as representatives of our organization, it's crucial to keep our unconscious biases in check. Trust isn't just about logic; it's deeply tied to emotions. We need to approach the community and our partners with genuine empathy and respect, viewing them as equals and collaborators rather than mere recipients. Celebrating their unique strengths and diverse accomplishments while supporting their dreams is a way to build trust authentically. Remaining humble, courteous, and grateful in our interactions, while being mindful to avoid any language or actions that could be offensive, ensures that we foster an environment of trust and mutual respect.

Be sincere and share your experience as a way of connecting with others. Don't feel like you always have to say something. And, you don't have to know the answers, it is okay to show humility.

Remembering where you started from and how bad you wanted someone to tell your story. You grew up in that community and you watch change happen as the years chip the community away to either a better place or not. It starts from not forgetting where it all started from. People love to forget where they came from but those who don't they represent their community by being engaged and fighting for change.

I said it already, listen. Do joy go in with a project and project plan to "fix" the problem, until you have set down with the people who live it every day and understand what the true problem is. It is hubris to assume you understand a community and its needs, if you are not a part of that community. What you plan to "fix" may be nothing more than a symptom. If that's the case, the people will see you as just one more outsider who doesn't get it. Go in with humility and spend time getting to know both the people and the community. Allow them to tell you what disease is generating the symptoms. Don't assume you know. Sit down, shut up and listen.

Great roadmap. I'll highlight a piece mentioned, consistency. Consistency compounds and builds trust while the lack of consistency degrades trust.

The road to trust is paved with humility, patience, mutual respect, genuine friendship, love and care. It can be as simple as meeting a community’s needs whether full scale or in community groups such as those living with housing insecurities. People instinctively want to feel cared for before giving internal access such as trust. Once care is established, trust is achieved.