Building Trust: The Cornerstone of True Leadership
By Fabio Marques
While there are countless bosses in the professional world, genuine leaders are far rarer. What sets true leaders apart is their ability to earn respect and admiration through trust.
In this blog post, I want to share three key behaviors that can erode trust within a team. By understanding and avoiding these pitfalls, you can take a significant step toward becoming the leader your team respects and follows wholeheartedly.
1. Failing to Deliver on Promises
Trust begins with reliability. One of the quickest ways to break trust is failing to follow through on your promises. When you assure your team of something—be it information, opportunities, or even consequences—and fail to deliver, you risk undermining their confidence in you.
For example:
Promising to share vital customer information and forgetting to do so.
Committing to provide an opportunity but never following through.
Threatening disciplinary action but not enforcing it when necessary.
Even seemingly minor lapses can lead your team to question your integrity. To build trust, always honor your commitments—big or small.
2. Acting Like a Dictator
Leadership is not about wielding authority like a sledgehammer. Many so-called “leaders” mistakenly believe that being disciplinarian and dictatorial is the path to success. However, constant authoritarian behavior only alienates your team and diminishes their trust in you.
While discipline is essential and should be valued, there’s a difference between fostering a culture of discipline and micromanaging. Telling your team, “Do this because I’m the boss” or constantly reminding them of your title as CEO or manager creates resentment rather than respect.
True leaders inspire cooperation and commitment by leading with clarity, purpose, and mutual respect—not fear or coercion.
3. Controlling Instead of Developing People
One of the most harmful behaviors a leader can exhibit is trying to control their team rather than developing them. Leadership is about empowering your team members, not micromanaging their every move.
When you control people excessively, you send a clear message: you don’t trust them. And if your team feels that lack of trust, they are unlikely to reciprocate it. This issue is especially critical when building a network of business partners, consultants, or associates who don’t directly report to you but collaborate with you.
Instead of trying to control your team, focus on providing guidance, support, and opportunities for growth. This approach not only builds trust but also creates a culture of mutual respect and loyalty.
The Path to Trust and True Leadership
To summarize, here are the three trust-breakers every aspiring leader must avoid:
Failing to keep your promises.
Relying on dictatorial behavior.
Controlling instead of developing your team.
When you consistently deliver on your commitments, lead with respect, and focus on empowering your team, you pave the way to becoming the kind of leader who inspires trust and admiration. Remember, leadership is not about authority—it’s about influence and integrity.
I hope these insights help you on your journey to becoming a true leader. Wishing you health, wealth, and continued success.
Fabio Marques
