Episode 305: Have you ever wondered if the way you communicate as a leader could destroy trust with your team? Even well-meaning leaders unintentionally send the wrong message through avoidable communication missteps—and when trust slips, so does performance, engagement, and morale. This episode is your radar check: a chance to spot the subtle mistakes that may be holding your leadership back and start making the small shifts that lead to powerful change. By tuning in, you’ll discover:
- The seven most common communication habits that destroy trust—and how to fix them.
- Simple, actionable tools like “scheduling the finish” and “responding with regard” to immediately boost clarity and follow-through.
- Powerful listening and feedback strategies that help your team feel heard, valued, and motivated to perform at their best.
Listen now to catch the trust-busting mistakes you might be missing—and learn exactly how to turn them into connection, clarity, and credibility.
7 Trust-Busting Mistakes Leaders Make (and How to Avoid Them)
00:57 – Communication Radar: Your Trust Check-Up
David introduces the concept of a leadership “communication radar” to help you identify if your words and habits are quietly eroding team trust.
02:13 – Avoiding Difficult Conversations
Avoidance sends a message that people or problems don’t matter. That silence doesn’t just delay progress—it actively destroys trust by creating anxiety and resentment.
03:13 – Vague and Indirect Language
Being unclear forces your team to guess, which erodes confidence and productivity. Lack of clarity can slowly destroy trust, even if your intentions are good.
05:18 – Failing to Listen with Curiosity
Interrupting, dismissing, or assuming you know what someone means can make them feel invisible. Failing to truly listen is another way leaders destroy trust without realizing it.
07:44 – Breaking Commitments and Reliability Gaps
Not following through—no matter how well-meaning—signals unreliability. When your actions don’t match your words, you risk destroying trust in your leadership.
From Tasks to Trust: How Connection Changes Everything
11:44 – Focusing Only on the Task
When people feel reduced to “just doing the work,” their motivation and sense of value tank. Ignoring their humanity can destroy trust and damage morale.
14:09 – Critical Feedback Without Encouragement
If your feedback only points out flaws, people disengage or retreat. Encouragement isn’t fluff—it’s essential fuel. Skipping it is a quick way to destroy trust over time.
15:59 – Making Encouragement Meaningful
You’ll hear specific, thoughtful ways to offer praise based on who your team members are—so your words actually land and stick.
17:41 – Moving Too Fast and Missing Contributions
Rushing to solutions can cause you to steamroll ideas and silence quieter voices. This oversight doesn’t just limit innovation—it can also destroy trust by making people feel irrelevant.
19:30 – Responding With Regard: A 3-Step Fix
David outlines a graceful way to acknowledge input, add useful context, and invite continued contribution—so your team stays engaged and respected, even if the idea can’t move forward.
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