Introduction
“People rise to meet the level of trust they’re given — or shrink to match the lack of it.”
Let’s be honest. Most execs say they want high-performing, self-managing teams.
But here’s what they actually do:
- Hover over decisions
- Withhold feedback until things go sideways
- Panic at every missed detail
- Jump in “just to be safe”
- Control everything from behind the scenes
Sound familiar?
You don’t build ownership by accident.
You build it by trusting people out loud — and backing that trust up with how you lead.
This is the trust loop.
And when it’s strong, your team moves with clarity, creativity, and speed.
When it’s broken? You get silence, hesitation, and quiet disengagement.
Let’s talk about how to build trust that actually improves performance — not just morale.
What Is the Executive Trust Loop?
Most people think trust is just a feeling. But in great organizations, trust is a system.
Here’s how the trust loop works:
- You give trust first (without making people earn it from zero)
- That trust creates autonomy — people feel safe to take initiative
- Autonomy leads to ownership — people start solving problems before you ask
- Ownership leads to feedback — wins and misses are addressed in real time
- Feedback leads to stronger trust — and the loop gets stronger
But when you don’t trust?
- You hover
- People hesitate
- Problems stay hidden
- Performance stalls
- You trust even less
That’s the loop in reverse — and it’s brutal.
How Lack of Trust Shows Up in Team Performance
Here’s what I see in orgs where trust is missing from the top:
- Slow decisions. Everyone’s waiting for approval — or afraid to move.
- No creativity. People won’t pitch new ideas if they’re scared of being wrong.
- Low initiative. Teams get stuck in passive mode: “Tell me what to do.”
- Quiet quitting. Not out loud — just the slow disengagement that comes when people stop believing it matters.
If your org feels sleepy, tense, or full of hidden landmines…
check the trust loop before you rewrite the strategy.
How to Know if You’re Unintentionally Breaking the Trust Loop
This part is tough — but necessary.
Ask yourself:
- Do I feel the need to double-check everything?
- Am I the bottleneck for most decisions?
- Do I rarely get pushback from my team?
- Are people doing exactly what I ask — but nothing more?
- Do I give feedback after things go wrong — or do I build trust before that?
If you’re nodding, you’re not alone.
Most leaders break trust without realizing it. Not because they’re bad — but because they’re scared.
Scared of mistakes.
Scared of slowing down.
Scared of being wrong.
But here’s the truth: withholding trust is what’s slowing you down.
What Happens When the Trust Loop Is Strong
When trust flows down from the top, everything changes:
- People speak up earlier — which prevents disasters
- Teams move faster — without chaos
- Feedback becomes part of the rhythm, not a scary surprise
- Ownership grows — because people feel responsible
- Leadership becomes lighter — because you’re not carrying it all alone
Trust isn’t soft.
It’s a multiplier.
How to Build (or Rebuild) Trust from the Top
You don’t have to do a trust fall in the breakroom. But you do have to be intentional.
Here’s what that looks like:
1. Trust first.
Don’t make people earn full trust from zero. Give it in advance. Let them prove you right.
2. Narrate your trust.
Say it out loud: “I’m handing this off because I believe you’ve got it.” It builds confidence.
3. Stay calm when things go sideways.
Trust is tested in the mess. If you blow up at every miss, no one will risk trying again.
4. Normalize feedback.
Early, specific, kind. Feedback is fuel — not punishment.
5. Praise process, not just outcomes.
Celebrate how someone led, not just the result. That scales behavior.
Daily Practices to Reinforce the Trust Loop
Here’s what to check in on each week:
- ✅ What decisions can I delegate fully — not just partially?
- ✅ Where am I hoarding control because I don’t trust the process?
- ✅ When’s the last time I said “I trust you” and meant it?
- ✅ Am I giving my team enough room to learn, not just perform?
- ✅ Is feedback a normal part of our culture — or a rare event?
If you want your team to think more, own more, and solve more —
you have to give them room to practice.
Conclusion
You don’t get trust by demanding it.
You get it by modeling it.
You give it — then grow it.
Because trust isn’t just good vibes and team bonding.
It’s the foundation of performance, innovation, and momentum.
So if your org feels slow, stuck, or surface-level — don’t blame the team.
Start by checking the loop.
Trust more.
Say so.
Stick with it.
And watch how fast everything else starts working again.
