What is one thing you believe would make you more successful as a leader?
A higher title? More autonomy? A healthier budget?
A higher title may strengthen how others perceive your influence and authority.
More autonomy may give you greater freedom to make decisions.
A healthier budget may provide resources to hire people, invest in technology, or pursue new opportunities.
All of these things can be valuable. But I invite you to elevate your thinking for a moment.
Pull up from the day-to-day. Think bigger and more long term.
One of the most important things you can do to strengthen your effectiveness and success as a leader is to actively build trust among your people.
Trust isn't something leaders can simply expect because of their title or position. It's developed through their actions, decisions, and the way they show up for the people they lead.
Here are three practices that can help.
1. Meet with Your People Monthly, Not Annually, to Discuss Goals and Performance
No one should be blindsided by a poor performance conversation at year-end.
I call that lazy leadership.
When leaders wait until an annual review to address performance concerns, they deny their people the opportunity to understand expectations, make adjustments, and improve throughout the year.
Instead, make performance and development conversations an ongoing part of how you lead.
Choose one of your regular monthly one-on-one meetings to focus specifically on goals and performance. Give the conversation enough time and attention to be meaningful.
Start by ensuring you're aligned on the employee's business goals. Some organizations establish goals effectively; others leave too much open to interpretation. Regardless, it's your responsibility as a leader to ensure your people understand what's expected.
Then ask how they believe they're progressing.
What's going well?
What's getting in the way?
Where do they need support?
Reassess goals when necessary and agree on what needs to change before your next conversation.
Sometimes that change needs to come from the employee. Sometimes it needs to come from you, whether that's providing resources, adjusting priorities, or removing obstacles.
The important thing is that both of you leave with a clear understanding of expectations and commitments.
And when performance isn't improving despite these conversations, address it directly rather than allowing the situation to continue without resolution.
2. Prioritize Career Conversations
You may believe your employees are responsible for their own career development.
Ultimately, they are.
But when leaders take a genuine interest in the growth and aspirations of their people, both the individual and the organization benefit.
People want to know that their work matters and that their leaders see a future for them.
They also want to know that someone is paying attention to what they hope to accomplish.
Start by asking a question that may seem obvious:
What do you really want from your career?
Then, from a tone of genuine curiosity, ask:
Why does that matter to you?
Over the years, I've encountered many people who pursue the next title, greater responsibility, or higher compensation without fully considering why those things are meaningful to them.
Sometimes they reach those milestones only to discover they aren't as fulfilled as they expected, or that what they worked so hard to achieve isn’t what they wanted after all.
As a leader, you have an opportunity to help people think more intentionally about what they want.
That doesn't mean taking responsibility for their careers.
It means remaining engaged in their development, asking about the steps they're taking, and helping them recognize opportunities to grow.
You can incorporate these conversations into your regular one-on-ones alongside discussions about business performance.
When people experience genuine interest in their growth and development, you create opportunities to strengthen trust, commitment, and loyalty.
3. Always Be Honest About Growth Opportunities
One of the most important ways to build trust is to tell people the truth about what's possible for them.
Even when that truth is difficult.
Earlier in my career, I had an employee who was performing well but had reached the ceiling of what was available to him within our organization.
I told him that while his job was secure, there wasn't an opportunity for him to advance beyond his current position. If he wanted to move up, he would likely need to move on.
What struck me most was his reaction.
He sighed with relief.
He'd wanted to begin exploring other opportunities but had been hesitant for several reasons. Our conversation gave him the confidence to do so, knowing he had my support.
He eventually found a new position that represented a significant step forward in his career.
I served as a reference.
On another occasion, an employee told me he wasn't interested in the traditional growth path within our department.
He enjoyed his work but wanted to apply his skills in a different function.
We had an honest conversation about his interests and what he could do to explore that direction.
With my support, he connected with other departments and took on project work that allowed him to develop relevant experience.
We also established clear expectations about how much time he could devote to those projects while continuing to meet his responsibilities to our team.
Eventually, following changes within the company, he accepted a role with another organization doing the kind of work he wanted to pursue.
Again, I served as a reference.
In both cases, I supported employees whose next steps ultimately took them elsewhere.
And I would make those same decisions again.
Because supporting someone's growth isn't only about what they can contribute to your team today. It's also about recognizing their aspirations and being honest about the opportunities available to them. When you do that, you may find that you've earned something equally valuable: an employee who trusts you, feels supported, and is more committed to doing their best work.
Trust Is Built Through How You Lead
Whether you're a CEO leading an executive team or a senior manager responsible for a small group of employees, you have an opportunity to build trust through the way you support your people.
That means setting clear expectations, having honest conversations, and taking an active interest in their development.
It means recognizing that your responsibility as a leader extends beyond evaluating performance to creating conditions in which people can succeed.
Sometimes, it means supporting someone in pursuing an opportunity that takes them outside of your team or organization.
Trust isn't built by telling people you care about their success. It's built by demonstrating it through your actions.