How Leaders Can Build Trust - A Risky Strategy
Shaun Kenny
Director, People of Influence. Trusted advisor to executives building their team and leaders.
If you’re a leader or an aspiring leader, understanding how to build TRUST is critical. Trust isn’t just a nice to have; it’s foundational for high performance in teams and organisations.
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This article will explore a powerful strategy for building trust rooted in a surprising source: the neuroscience behind trust falls.
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Yes, trust falls!
Don’t want to read the article, then jump right to the video:
Agenda
1. Trust Falls: The Uncomfortable Exercise
Remember those? They’re a bit of a throwback, aren’t they? You might associate them with camp activities, or maybe you picture those clichéd HR exercises that tend to make people cringe. Let’s face it—many people don’t have a positive association with trust falls. They’ve become almost emblematic of the "team-building activity gone wrong."
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As a facilitator of leadership programs or team offsites, I often encounter suspicion when someone asks me, "We're not going to do trust falls, are we?" My answer is always 'No,' particularly when it involves senior leaders or executives.
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But here’s the twist: the neuroscience of trust reveals something fascinating about trust falls. They tell us something profound about how to build trust.
2. The Neuroscience of Trust
Let’s dive into the science for a moment.
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Professor Paul Zak of Claremont Graduate University in California, a pioneer in the field of neuroeconomics, discovered the neurochemical that plays a key role in trust: oxytocin. Research shows that when oxytocin is released, it builds trust, and trust leads to higher performance.
But what triggers oxytocin release?
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Let’s go back to the trust fall scenario. Imagine two people: the catcher and the “faller.” Most people would assume it’s the person falling who releases oxytocin—“Hey, I took a risk, and you caught me, so now I trust you more.” Surprisingly, it’s the catcher’s brain that’s more likely to release oxytocin.
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Why? Because seeing someone take a risk and put their trust in you first triggers a powerful response: your brain releases oxytocin, making you more likely to trust them in return.
3. The "Fall First" Strategy
This brings us to a powerful trust-building strategy: be the one to trust first. Take a risk, and you trigger a response in the other person’s brain that leads to trust.
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We call this the “Fall First” strategy.
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The formula here is simple yet profound:
1. Trust first – Take a risk.
2. Oxytocin is released in the other person’s brain.
3. Trust increases.
4. High performance follows.
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4. Applying the "Fall First" Strategy
Of course, we’re not suggesting you go around asking people to catch you! The trust we want to build in teams comes from taking interpersonal risks, not physical ones.
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Here’s how you can apply the “Fall First” strategy in everyday leadership:
These actions create trust and, over time, lay the groundwork for a high-performance culture.
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Take a moment to think of other ways you can “fall first.” Remember, a powerful strategy for building trust is to trust first. Take that interpersonal risk and be the one who falls first.
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?Ready to dive deeper into trust-building for your team? Let’s connect! Visit www.peopleofinfluence.com.au to learn more about how our strategies can help your team achieve higher performance through trust.
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Thank you for reading, and I'm excited to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
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Shaun Kenny
People of Influence?
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