When Trust Gets Broken and Respect is Lost ... 5 Common Causes!

Hi everyone!

In this edition we reveal 5 common causes of broken trust in the workplace which leads to a loss of respect!

What is trust really and how can we build it to get extraordinary relationships and results?

Here’s the thing …

Trust is the foundation of every relationship. No trust. No relationship. - Maree Wrack

The old way with trust was to just shake hands.

My word is my bond and we’re good to go.

I trust you.

The Emotional Bank Account followed … introduced by Dr Stephen Covey, it focused on how we could build trust over time.

If we do what we say we’re going to do, when we say we’re going to do it, that’s a deposit of trust.

If we let the other person/ people down, that’s a withdrawal.

The theory was we could build relationships over time with deposits of trust, and withdrawals when we were untrustworthy.

Fast forward to today …

Advances in neuroscience has given us the tools to look inside our brains while we’re having conversations, which reveals what’s going on and why.

“Encoded in every conversation is the hidden language of trust and when we speak with each other, significant neurochemical exchanges take place, which impact how trusting or distrusting we will be.” – Judith E. Glaser.

This is what I specialise in … how to build trust in real time through the neuroscience of conversations ...

Distrustful, unproductive, disrespectful and even destructive exchanges cause our fear networks to be triggered… we may feel threatened, we close down and protect ourselves from harm.

What are some of the common causes of distrust?

5 Common Causes of Broken Trust and a Loss of Respect

1.????? Being dishonest

2.????? Failing to deliver on promises

3.????? Lack of transparency

4.????? Poor communication

5.????? Avoiding accountability.

Common Cause Number 1 – Being Dishonest

Dishonesty triggers distrust, damages relationships, and affects team productivity.

When we suspect others are lying, hiding information, or manipulating the truth, we become suspicious, doubtful and trust erodes quickly:

• A team member may exaggerate or lie about achievements on a project or report … to make themselves look good. It can be claiming credit for tasks completed by others or inflating sales numbers.
• A team member may declare they’re unavailable for a meeting or a workday due to a false personal emergency … while engaging in personal activities unrelated to work.
• A team member may hide their mistakes by shifting blame onto others. This leads to bigger issues if it isn’t addressed promptly.

Respectful leadership means embedding candour in communication and interactions with team members.

Common Cause Number 2 - Failing to Deliver on Promises

Failing to meet deadlines without advising others, undermines trust and credibility. It signals unreliability and diminishes dependability. It demotivates team members and damages relationships.

• A project manager promises to complete a report by a specific date but fails repeatedly to submit it on time. It causes delays in the project and disrupts others’ work schedules.
• A leader promises additional support to help with an increased workload but never follows through. Team members are left struggling with extra tasks … leading to frustration and burnout.
• A manager promises a team member they’ll receive training or development opportunities for career growth but fails to do anything about it.

Respectful leadership integrity means honouring promises to others with deep respect.

Common Cause Number 3 - Lack of Transparency

Making decisions in secrecy behind closed doors, or withholding information creates uncertainty. Team members need openness, communication and accountability from leaders to feel psychologically safe. Lack of transparency lowers morale, creates exclusion and leads to distrust:

• Leaders and managers making major decisions, such as restructuring, redundancies, or changing policies without informing team members until the last minute. This leaves people feeling blindsided, under threat and uncertain about their future.
• Leaders withholding information by not sharing important data. This could include performance, budget cuts, or impending losses. ?When team members ask for clarity with no response, it creates anxiety and speculation about job stability.
• Leaders not clearly communicating the standards or expectations for career advancement. Team members are left confused about what it takes to get promoted or receive a salary increase. This can create a sense of unfairness and favouritism.

Respectful leadership means ensuring others know what you know … people are kept in the loop.?

Common Cause Number 4 - Poor Communication

Lack of consistent and clear communication creates uncertainty. It leads to misunderstandings that break trust. It erodes productivity, lowers morale and engagement and harms workplace relationships.

• A manager tells one team that a project deadline is flexible, while telling another team it's non-negotiable. This creates confusion, frustration, inefficiency and potential conflict.
• A supervisor delegates a task with vague or incomplete instructions. The team member is left unsure about the expectations or scope of the task. This can cause procrastination and a lack of psychosocial safety.
• Team members raise concerns about an issue with work processes or team dynamics. Leadership doesn’t acknowledge or respond to the feedback. Team members are left feeling unseen, unheard and undervalued.

Respectful leadership means getting in sync with others by building respectful relationships with clear lines of communication.

Common Cause Number 5 - Avoiding Accountability

Trust requires accountability, and when someone refuses to take responsibility, distrust rises rapidly. Being accountable builds credibility … ?avoiding it raises doubt about a person’s integrity.

Avoiding accountability creates a culture of defensiveness which inhibits performance growth and wellbeing within the workplace.

• A team member makes an error on a project but refuses to take responsibility. They shift the blame to others including some external factor, like a technology issue. This undermines team trust and creates obstacles in resolving the situation.
• A manager repeatedly misses important deadlines and doesn’t acknowledge the situation. They constantly justify and defend themselves with excuses like being "too busy" or having “conflicting priorities.” This deflects responsibility and disrupts performance timelines and outcomes.
• A team member consistently underperforms but refuses to recognise their shortcomings. They blame their lack of success on unclear instructions or lack of resources. ?This erodes team trust and damages overall productivity.

Respectful leadership means practising accountability through clear performance requests, creating mutual agreement and implementing performance coaching.

The bottom line is …

Trust and respect are the golden threads that hold a culture together!

Thanks for reading this edition of my weekly Respectful Workplace Insights newsletter.

See you next week!

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Besides my newsletter, here’s how I can help you with building your respectful workplace culture:

1.??Find out about our QuickStart workshop for building team trust - book a chat to find out more HERE

2. Speak with me personally to map out a plan together.

Respectful Workplace Insights is a weekly newsletter I am publishing on LinkedIn to highlight?some of the things that get in the way of creating a respectful workplace culture.

Eliminating disrespectful unproductive and depleting conversations and behaviours that are getting in the way of building respectful alignment and performance is where we start.

Each week I'll offer tips on how to do that so you can create a respectful workplace culture where everyone feels safe and included.