Trust Pyramid
Strengthen trust one layer at a time
Leaders often encounter trust issues with their teams. This impacts their ability to delegate and elevate themselves. Leaders ask me: “What does it take to build trust with my team?”
Trust doesn’t happen in a single moment. It’s built layer by layer, through repeated actions that your team can count on.
In leadership, I like to visualize trust as something greater, bigger, growing. And, you need a strong foundation, so I think of it as a Trust Pyramid. (Frei & Morriss use the “Trust Triangle” as another visual framework.)
Logic (Competence): Your team needs to believe you can deliver: clear thinking, sound judgment, and reliable follow-through.
Authenticity (Courage): Be the real you. Teams can sense when a leader hides behind a façade. Courage means leading with honesty, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Empathy (Patience & Consistency): Show that you care about people’s needs, their development, their ideas and input - not just the task. Consistency in empathy - showing up the same way, every day - creates psychological safety.
When these layers are in place, leaders unlock a higher level of trust where teams feel safe to step up, speak up, and give their best. And when trust is strong, teams:
perform better
collaborate more
stay engaged
commit to shared goals
Trust isn’t automatic. It’s built over time, one layer at a time.
Which layer of your Trust Pyramid could you strengthen this week?
#executivecoach #leadershipcoaching #trustingleadership #authenticity #courage
