You're struggling to build trust with skeptical employees. How can you encourage open feedback?

There's an old saying: "Turn over any rock and a thousand ants scatter." The same applies to advice like "Lead by example." It's a nice idea, but the underlying complexity is often overlooked. If a leader's brain is wired for survival, simply telling them their behavior impacts others won't change their response any more than a child stops making funny faces because they're told they'll stick if the wind changes. Trust is built on the presence of oxytocin in the brain. Leaders must understand and believe it's their role to trigger this neurological response for their behaviors to align with their beliefs, such that a noticeable behaviour change follows - BTFA™ - Believe-Think-Feel-Act. We only know what example to set, when we know brains.

In my opinion, leading by example is the most effective way to build trust and encourage open feedback. Demonstrate transparency in your communications and be open about challenges and mistakes. Show your team that their leaders are approachable and willing to listen to feedback themselves. When employees see this behaviour at the top, they’re more likely to feel comfortable sharing their own insights and concerns.

Cultivate a safe and supportive environment. - Have regular, informal chats where they feel comfortable sharing. - Allow anonymous feedback through surveys or suggestion boxes. - Have an open-door policy so they can talk to you freely. - Listen actively to their concerns and ask questions to understand you understand their points of view. - Ensure confidentiality and that there won't be negative repercussions for their honesty. **BONUS** Act on their suggestions when possible and communicate any updates. This shows you really CARE and VALUE their contributions. By consistently showing that you value their input, you'll create trust and encourage open communication.

Examine your previous behaviours. Have you promised and not delivered? Are you stepping into an accountability without a proven track record? Try to get to the source of their concerns and scepticism and examine what you may need to communicate and start doing differently to build trust with them. Seek feedback from other leaders and your boss about what the source of the scepticism may be.

With many teams, I have provided direct access to my professional coach. This allows my coach to capture direct feedback on my leadership that turns into actionable insights for how I might improve. And my teams have a trusted partner to share without fear or concern, as the information is kept confidential and aggregated. This opens the door for the most candid and direct conversations that allow me to grow and pour into my team powerfully.

Creating Psychological Safety in a team is critical. This is however more than safe spaces in the form of communication channels and meetings. People are probably already creating their own safe spaces to talk, when you are not there. If you want to be included in the discussion, you need to get to the source of why you are not. Some useful reflective questions: 1. How do I demonstrate that I value each team member, their work, ideas and development? 2. Have I been dismissive, disrespectful or irritated with anyone in the team, without addressing it afterwards? 3. Am I open to learn something from my team in every interaction? 4. How willing am I to openly acknowledge that a team member's idea is better than my own?

Creating safe spaces is crucial for open dialogue. In my experience, employees are more open to sharing honest feedback when they know it won’t be used against them. Establish regular, structured forums like roundtables or feedback sessions that encourage candid discussions. Emphasise confidentiality and respect for everyone’s opinions to reinforce that these spaces are truly safe for open expression without fear of repercussions.

Speaking up at work is often hindered by fear of negative job consequences. The "Writing on the Wall" exercise addresses this by providing a safe, anonymous way for employees to voice concerns frankly, increasing coverage & overall trustworthiness of the data. Process: Facilitator: Set up a private space, clearly state the concern objectively, and inform employees about the exercise details, emphasizing anonymity. Employee: Enter the room individually, write your perspective, and leave. Facilitator: Review the responses with management, noting possible solutions, barriers, etc. Use info as basis for continued dialogue and solution-making. Benefits: Encourages honest feedback Builds trust Identifies hidden issues Fosters collaboration

Active listening is key to building trust and encouraging open feedback. Show genuine interest in what your employees have to say by giving them your full attention and avoiding interruptions. Ask clarifying questions and reflect back what you hear to confirm understanding. This approach not only makes employees feel valued but also demonstrates that their feedback is important and can influence change.

Take your time and make it safe for people to speak. Acknowledge them for sharing their points of view, and if relevant, for demonstrating courage in doing so. Even though they may be frustrating or inconvenient for you, these points of view may point to gaps in your leadership strategy or behaviour that you can use to support your growth and development.

My clients often forget the last critical step of follow through, communication. After you have taken feedback and acted on it, remember to communicate the story to people so everyone knows the chain of events. Tell them about what you learned from the feedback, acknowledge the person who gave the feedback for their commitment and contribution and tell them what has changed as a result.

Following through on feedback is where many leaders fall short, in my opinion. When employees take the risk to offer feedback, they need to see action taken on it, or they might not bother in the future. Prioritise the feedback you receive, implement changes where necessary, and always close the loop with your team. Communicate what actions have been taken as a result of their suggestions to reinforce that their input has a real impact on the business.

Following through on feedback is in my opinion linked to the grit behind the execution. This is where the success of cultural change is hidden. Companies often run surveys that aim to collect feedback, involving people's time to provide feedback or suggestions for change. That data is then aggregated (oftentimes by an external agency) and shared back as The Report. This causes employee dissatisfaction and frustration, as they do not feel heard. Their suggestions are not considered as a unique feedback, but as a mass. In order for people to feel empowered and be part of the change initiative, they need to have the evidence that their voice matters. Following through on a feedback with a very specific response - one at a time - is key.

Providing training or workshops on giving and receiving feedback effectively is a proactive approach to foster development. For example: Tailored Approach: Customize the training to fit the specific needs and dynamics of your team. Consider using real-life examples and case studies relevant to their work environment. Continuous Improvement: Offer ongoing support and resources post-training. Provide opportunities for coaching to reinforce learning and address any challenges that arise in implementing feedback skills. Feedback on Feedback: Solicit feedback from participants about the training itself. This demonstrates your commitment to continuous improvement and helps refine future training sessions.

First and foremost, your employees are human and so treat them as such. We are so often focused on being managers and holding information close, that we forget the human side of our work. If employees are skeptical, there is likely bigger trust issues at play, or they simply haven't been convinced about what is happening. Before apportioning blame or worrying you have 'an employee problem' look in the mirror and ask yourself what has been missing from your style or your communication that has created gaps in their understanding. Its a good first step forward

Skepticism can originate from number of sources: - broken or never earned trust, - employees' needs of safety, security or social reliance (belonging) is not met/addressed; - lack of connection to the corporate mission. - unclear rules of power. All these can create a lack of well-being that generates further frustration, disengagement or lack of motivation. Addressing the above with transparency, by creating and fostering an environment where employees feel seen for ther unique contribution, feel heard and that their voice matter can reverse that dynamics.