We all deserve trust

When I wrote Permission to Screw Up, I interviewed several former Student Maid team members to hear more about their experiences before, during, and after they worked at our company. There’s one interview I still think about to this day because it was so jarring.

When we asked her why she applied to Student Maid, one of our alumni—Katie—told my writing team and me that she had been working at an ice cream parlor, but she hated it. She said the owners didn’t trust her. 

As I listened to her explain why she felt that way, my jaw dropped. She told us that there were security cameras set up everywhere around the ice cream shop, and all day, the shop’s owners would sit at home and watch her every move. How did she know this? Because they called the shop constantly to tell Katie and the other employees what to do. The owners didn’t give them any actual responsibilities or room to think for themselves. They didn’t trust them at all. 

Katie lasted two weeks. The ice cream parlor had been her first job—she was just 17 years old—but even though she had barely any work experience, she knew enough to know that what she was experiencing didn’t feel right. She couldn’t take it anymore and began applying for other jobs. That’s when she found us. 

When we hired her, Katie was surprised at the level of trust we had in her right off the bat. She was shocked to learn that she’d be cleaning houses with a partner with no one—not me, not a manager, not any other leader—checking up on her or breathing down her neck. Instead, it was up to her and her partner to work together to figure out how to make our clients happy. We gave her the opportunity to make decisions on her own and figure it out if she messed up. 

Katie worked with our company for nearly six years and was a stellar employee. She held many leadership positions within the company, even though she was often the youngest person in the room. She moved on from Student Maid to pursue a PhD in Youth Development and Family Science, but before she left, she encouraged her younger sister to apply. Katie’s sister works with us to this day.

Trust is everything. When people feel trusted, they feel empowered. When people feel empowered, they are loyal. When people are loyal, they stay with you for a long time and will refer their friends—and sometimes even family members—to work with you too. When people are micromanaged and controlled, they don’t feel trusted. And that’s why they leave.

If you own a business or lead a team, look around. Do your systems and actions show your people that you trust them? If not, how can you show your people that you believe in their capabilities, even if they haven’t yet had a chance to prove themselves? 

If you’re in an environment that lacks trust and feel like Katie did when the shop owners watched her on security cameras, speak up. Be honest about how you feel. If nothing changes as a result of your feedback, get out of there. You deserve better. 

We all deserve trust.

Big hugs, 

Kristen

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