The High Cost of Low Trust ... Top 3 Causes and How to Fix Them!
Maree Wrack
?? Founder of UPShift - Building Connected Cultures of Respect and Civility, TRUST and Performance with Inclusive Leadership
High trust is the foundation of a thriving, high?performance workplace.
Low trust costs organisations time, money and energy.
This edition focuses on how low trust suppresses collaboration and creates a toxic culture which breeds disrespect.
As Patrick Lencioni famously reinforces in his book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, trust is the essential foundation without which every other aspect of team performance crumbles.
Lencioni identifies the absence of trust as the first and most critical dysfunction that leads to fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and ultimately, inattention to results.
You can’t build a culture of trust on a foundation of shifting sands!
So how does trust make a difference?
According to a PwC Global Trust Survey, people at high trust organisations report:
Here’s the thing…
When we feel trusted, our brains release oxytocin, a hormone that promotes bonding, empathy, and open communication.
Conversely, in environments rife with distrust, the release of stress hormones like cortisol gets triggered, which can impair cognitive function, limit creativity, and cultivate an atmosphere of fear.
Team members are less likely to engage in constructive conversations, which means it’s so much easier for disrespectful behaviours to take root.
Through my work with the Neuroscience of Conversational Trust, I’ve witnessed firsthand the difference high trust can make in building a healthy work environment, social cohesion and a connected culture.
Top 3 Causes of Low Trust
1.?Erosion of Open Communication
When trust is low, team members hold back; often giving inauthentic feedback to maintain the status quo. Conversations become guarded and superficial.
High trust and mutual respect don’t happen at random.
I work with an Arc of Respect ... imagine at one end we have resistance which translates as “active hostility,” low trust and “addicted to being right”.
At the other end is high trust, partnering, and co-creating for mutual respect.
When open communication is eroded low trust can spread like wildfire. An entire team can fall back into resistance and low trust.
The fix …
Create a culture of openness and sharing by intentionally building trust to resolve issues collaboratively.
It happens systematically by implementing a Connected Culture Roadmap!
2.?Deterioration of Empathy and Team Cohesion
Trust is the glue that binds teams together.
When trust is eroded, empathy diminishes.
In a high?trust environment, team members are willing to support one another, acknowledge mistakes, and learn from each other.
When distrust prevails, team members become hyper?vigilant, suspicious of others’ motives, and less inclined to offer help.
This environment breeds an “us versus them” mentality.
?A loss of empathy impacts relationships and compromises team cohesion.
Self?preservation replaces collective success.
The result … ?lack of cohesion, disconnection from others, siloed work efforts and a fragmented organisational culture.
The fix …
Develop your people through intentionally building connection inside a high trust environment!
3.?Amplification of Negative Behaviours and Toxic Leadership
When leaders fail to build trust, team members quickly pick up on these cues and mirror them.
Common cues are micromanagement, passive?aggressive behaviour, and overt bullying.
Research indicates that team members who feel unsupported by leadership are more likely to engage in counterproductive work behaviours.
These include gossip, backstabbing, and withholding critical information.
When leaders themselves operate in an environment of distrust, they may adopt a “do as I say, not as I do” approach.
This form of toxic leadership undermines credibility and fuels a culture where disrespect is normalised.
The fix …
Invest in developing your leaders to model transparency and engage in honest, open conversations.
Coach leaders in how to recognise the contribution of team members, so they feel safe to share ideas, voice concerns, and support each other.
?The point is …
Trust isn’t an abstract concept; it directly influences the financial health and sustainability of the organisation.
The good news is that trust can be rebuilt to pave the way for respectful, productive interactions.
The bottom line is…
The high cost of low trust is not just about lost productivity or increased turnover; it’s about the erosion of the very fabric that holds an organisation together.
Building a culture of trust isn’t a one-off initiative … it’s an ongoing journey that requires commitment, consistency, and the courage to be vulnerable.
Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences with building trust in the comments below.
Want to build effective leadership and more connection in your teams? Building a Connected Team Culture (For Leaders)? is your first step Find out more HERE:
SPECIAL OFFER: Enter the CTC100?promotional code and receive $100 savings per person
?.
?
.
?
.
For those of you who are new to my weekly newsletter 'Respectful Workplace Insights' it provides strategies for building trust, safety and a thriving inclusive, team performance culture.
Thanks for reading Edition 039.
See you next week!
Besides my newsletter, I can help you build a connected team culture where everyone works better together!
To find out more schedule a free 30minute clarity call with me today ??? HERE