The Trust Crisis That Destroys Your Culture
Oct 05, 2025
Have you ever watched a high performer delivering excellent results submit their resignation because they felt micromanaged?
Were you surprised when your most reliable team member left for a lateral position at another company, citing "lack of autonomy" as their reason?
You have a trust crisis that destroys your culture and holds the back door for your most valuable employees to leave.
Distrust Kills Performance
Think about how deeply distrust infiltrates work cultures:
- You hire talented people, then their manager hovers over their every move.
- You claim to value independence yet demand constant check-ins.
- You say you trust your teams but require approval for routine decisions.
- You promote based on results while you manage based on activities.
The control obsession dates back to industrial models where workers “needed” constant supervision. Today's workforce require trust to perform their best work, not surveillance to prevent their worst.
Shift from Suspicion to Support
The traditional approach to management said: "I need to watch you to ensure you do good work."
Trust-first leadership says: "I believe you want to do good work, and I'll remove obstacles so you can."
Research finds that trust-first cultures see 74% less stress, 106% more energy at work, and 50% higher productivity. As Heather Andrade Neuman, CPO of Golden 1 Credit Union, a Forbes Best in State Employer (California) for four consecutive years, told me in her episode of the Work Positive Podcast, "Trust isn't just about being nice. It's about believing people want to contribute their best."
Dig a Trust Foundation
What does trust-first culture look like in practice? As Steve Browne demonstrated at LaRosa's Pizzeria, it's a leadership approach where, as he mentioned in our Work Positive Podcast conversation, "We believe that people want to do their best."
In a trust-first culture:
- People receive outcomes-based goals rather than activity-based tasks.
- Managers provide resources and remove obstacles instead of monitoring progress.
- Teams make decisions within clear boundaries without seeking permission.
- Leaders ask "What do you need to succeed?" instead of "Why did you do it that way?"
Organizations implementing trust-first principles see 2.5x higher stock returns, 40% less turnover, and 25% increase in team performance.
Eliminate "Control Toxin" from Your Leadership
One of the most dangerous elements in management culture is "control toxin," the micro-behaviors that signal distrust while claiming to support performance:
- "Just keep me in the loop on everything."
- "I need to review this before it goes out."
- "I want to understand exactly how you're spending your time."
The antidote is "trust clarity." When you feel the urge to control, ask instead: "What boundaries and resources do you need to succeed?"
Your Trust-First Challenge
Try these three trust-building actions this week:
- Replace Monitoring with Mentoring: Instead of asking "What did you do today?" ask "What support do you need to succeed?"
- Identify One Control Point: Find one area where you typically require approval and instead provide clear decision-making boundaries.
- Transform One Fear into Faith: Convert one "what if they mess up" concern into a "how can I help them succeed" conversation.
The Work Positive Bottom Line
The best people leaders today don't create followers through control. They create leaders through trust.
Stop controlling. Start creating a Work Positive Culture.
What's your question about building effective listening loops in your organization? Ask Dr. Joey here.
Taken from Dr. Joey's newest book, Becoming @ Work: How to T.H.R.I.V.E. in Today's Culture.
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