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How to Foster Trust Among Your MSP Team - 3 Key Steps

Trust: The Foundation of Every Successful MSP Team

High performing teams all require one key factor: trust. Leaders who are able to foster trust within their teams end up with team members who feel psychologically safe within their role and organizations – who in turn are more productive, innovative, and overall invested in the success of their team and organization.  Research shows that teams with high trust levels report 74% less stress and 50% higher productivity (Zak, 2017). 

Here’s 3 things you can do to build trust within your teams:

1. Lead with Vulnerability

Trust starts at the top. A study in Harvard Business Review found that leaders who openly admit mistakes and ask for feedback create psychological safety, enabling teams to innovate without fear (Brown, 2018). 

Action Step: Try starting your next team meeting with, “Here’s where I need your help this week.”

2. Prioritize Active Listening

Trust grows when people feel seen, heard, and acknowledged (my groups know that I say this almost every session). Research by Itzchakov and Kluger (2018) shows that leaders who use active listening skills (e.g., paraphrasing concerns, asking open-ended questions) boost team strength and problem-solving.

Action Step: Next time a technician raises an issue, respond with, “Tell me more about that challenge.”

3. Deliver on Promises

Walking the talk, matters. A 2020 study in Journal of Applied Psychology found that leaders who follow through on their commitments, even small ones (e.g., sending an email), increases team trust by 32% (Dirks & Ferrin, 2002). 

Action Step: Schedule a 1:1 with a team member this week to ask, “What’s one thing I can do to better support you?” 


Sources: 

  • Zak, P. J. (2017). Harvard Business Review, “The Neuroscience of Trust.” 
  • Brown, B. (2018). Dare to Lead. 
  • Itzchakov, G., & Kluger, A. N. (2018). Journal of Applied Psychology, “The Power of Listening. 
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