Earning Your Colleagues’ Trust

As a people-pleaser, it has always been important that my colleagues trust me to do my job competently and on time.

While being a people-pleaser certainly has its downsides, instilling trust among colleagues does not.

Gaining trust in your workplace means that people are more likely to enjoy working with you, they’ll bring up your name for new projects (and potentially stretch opportunities), you’re less likely to be micro-managed, and when you do inevitably make a mistake, they’re more likely to give you grace because they know this mistake is the exception rather than the rule.

Here are some steps you can take to garner trust among colleagues:

1. Transparency: Keep your project manager (and any other associates who need to know) in the loop. Especially on projects with a quick turnaround, send your project manager messages to advise when you’ve hit key milestones and/or copy them on emails so they know where the work stands.  
   

2. Ask Questions: Make sure you have a comprehensive understanding of your role, which means asking clarifying questions – right at the start – to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. Asking smart questions can also reassure colleagues/project managers because it shows your investment in the work and comprehension of the bigger picture.
   

3. Hit Your Deadlines: It may seem obvious, but simply submitting your work before or by the deadline will do wonders for your reputation. Project managers love working with deadline-hitting people because it means they have one less person to follow up with/hassle to get the project across the finish line.
   

4. Ask for Feedback: There will always be times when the product you deliver doesn’t align with the project manager’s vision, so ask for feedback and guidance on what they’re looking for so that you can deliver that in the future. Managers will often have templates or certain styles that they prefer, so if you can familiarize yourself with their preferences, you will be better equipped to collaborate with them going forward. Additionally, requesting feedback demonstrates your investment in delivering a valuable product, and project managers will notice if you’re taking steps to improve. Being open to input without taking the direction personally also makes it easy for the manager to imagine future collaborations with ease.
   

Ultimately, your colleagues want to work with reliable people who are invested in delivering the best possible product. By consistently showing your commitment and enthusiasm for collaborated work, you will set yourself and your team up for success.

Written by Christina Burns