Establishing Trust with Colleagues While Keeping It Professional

Trust doesn't come from your accomplishments. It comes from quiet moves like these: For years I thought I needed more experience, achievements, and wins to earn trust. But real trust isn't built through credentials. It's earned in small moments, consistent choices, and subtle behaviors that others notice - even when you think they don't. Here are 15 quiet moves that instantly build trust 👇🏼 1. You close open loops, catching details others miss ↳ Send 3-bullet wrap-ups after meetings. Reliability builds. 2. You name tension before it gets worse ↳ Name what you sense: "The energy feels different today" 3. You speak softly in tense moments ↳ Lower your tone slightly when making key points. Watch others lean in. 4. You stay calm when others panic, leading with stillness ↳ Take three slow breaths before responding. Let your calm spread. 5. You make space for quiet voices ↳ Ask "What perspective haven't we heard yet?", then wait. 6. You remember and reference what others share ↳ Keep a Key Details note for each relationship in your phone. 7. You replace "but" with "and" to keep doors open ↳ Practice "I hear you, and here's what's possible" 8. You show up early with presence and intention ↳ Close laptop, turn phone face down 2 minutes before others arrive. 9. You speak up for absent team members ↳ Start with "X made an important point about this last week" 10. You turn complaints into possibility ↳ Replace "That won't work" with "Let's experiment with..." 11. You build in space for what really matters ↳ Block 10 min buffers between meetings. Others will follow. 12. You keep small promises to build trust bit by bit ↳ Keep a "promises made" note in your phone. Track follow-through. 13. You protect everyone's time, not just your own ↳ End every meeting 5 minutes early. Set the standard. 14. You ask questions before jumping to fixes ↳ Lead with "What have you tried so far?" before suggesting solutions. 15. You share credit for wins and own responsibility for misses ↳ Use "we" for successes, "I" for challenges. Watch trust grow. Your presence speaks louder than your resume. Trust is earned in these quiet moments. Which move will you practice first? Share below 👇🏼 -- ♻️ Repost to help your network build authentic trust without the struggle 🔔 Follow me Dr. Carolyn Frost for more strategies on leading with quiet impact

The # 1 trait of the most respected leaders Is something only 36% of people have. It's emotional intelligence (aka EQ). I used to think it was a personality trait. Some people just “had it.” It turns out, you can learn it. If you're paying attention. It's built along the way: In tense meetings. In messy feedback moments. In the silence after saying the wrong thing. Emotional intelligence isn’t soft. It’s strategic. The most respected leaders: Steady the room. De-escalate tension. Keep people aligned. Notice what others miss. That’s not charm. It’s skill. And yes, it’s learnable. Start here 👇 11 EQ Moves That Build Trust and Influence 1. Notice what’s unsaid. ↳ Who’s silent? Who looks tense? ↳ Reading the room is a power move. 2. Name the emotion in the room. ↳ “Feels like we’re stuck.” ↳ Naming it disarms it. 3. Manage your own tone. ↳ Frustrated ≠ unfiltered. ↳ EQ is volume control. 4. Pause strategically. ↳ Not awkward. Intentional. ↳ Space changes outcomes. 5. Ask before you assume. ↳ “Want advice or just space to vent?” ↳ Respect starts with clarity. 6. Say “you first” in tense moments. ↳ Not to defer. ↳ To understand before reacting. 7. Use questions to lead. ↳ “What would make this feel doable?” ↳ Open doors, not debates. 8. Reset instead of react. ↳ A walk. A breath. A playlist. ↳ Regulated leaders regulate the room. 9. Normalize not knowing. ↳ “That’s a new one for me—tell me more.” ↳ Curiosity beats cover-up. 10. Practice presence over polish. ↳ People remember how you made them feel. ↳ Your energy speaks louder than your resume. 11. Give feedback for someone, not at them. ↳ “Here’s something I’ve noticed…” ↳ Kind ≠ soft. These are habits that change how people respond to you. Because they feel seen, heard, and safe. What’s one EQ habit you’ll practice this month? Share below 👇 _____________________________ ♻ Repost to share with someone leading through relationships, not volume. 👉Follow Stephanie Eidelman (Meisel) for more ways to lead visibly and authentically.

Do people like working with you? Maybe you never asked yourself that question. Maybe you never needed to in the past. This is changing. In today’s collaborative, fast-paced, and often remote environments, your ability to build trust and connection affects how your work gets done and how others experience working with you. You DON'T need to be outgoing, people-pleasing, always available, or even universally liked. You DO need to be intentional in how you engage, so you are remembered (positively) for how you make others feel. 💡 Try these: - Remember details and follow up: “How did that conversation/meeting/interview go?” - Offer help before being asked: “I’ve worked with that team before if it helps to compare notes.” - Acknowledge effort in real time: “That slide deck took a lot of time and we didn't give you much. Thank you. ” - Giving others credit and authentic praise when deserved When this becomes part of how you operate, people feel respected, seen, and valued and that changes how they respond to you. The bonus: Professionals who build relationships with intention tend to: 🏆 Get better, faster collaboration from peers and stakeholders 🏆 Navigate organizational politics with less friction 🏆 Recover trust more quickly when tensions run high 🏆 Gain informal influence, even without formal authority In today’s complex and interdependent workplace, the strength of your relationships directly shapes the quality of your outcomes. Whether you’re leading, collaborating, or navigating uncertainty, the trust you’ve built becomes a key factor in how effectively things get done. #RelationshipBuilding, #Trust, #Collaboration, #SoftSkills, #TeamDynamics, #ContextualAgility Skiilify