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International House Times 7 T rust matters. Yet it is not uncommon to find team members who don't trust their supervisors, or feel that the supervisors don't care about them as people. If a supervisor is asked if they want to build a culture of trust in their organization, they generally say yes. ey may even think that they are doing a great job at it. So why do so many fail miserably to build trust, and why is building trust so hard? e problem is that different people have different ideas and different feelings about what makes someone trustworthy. What builds trust with one person might not with another; in fact, it could actually break trust. For one person, emotional vulnerability, sharing personal details, might make them feel like someone is authentic, and therefore trustworthy. For another person, when a colleague gets personal they might think "whoa, they're an over-sharer" and lead them to avoid that colleague. e different ways people build trust are shaped by the diverse cultural identities that make us who we are - our racial and ethnic backgrounds, gender, where we were raised, age, sexual orientation, religious practices, etc., and how those identities shape our values, mindsets, and norms. In the workplace, these cultural identities influence our behaviors, communication styles, and whether or not we perceive people as trustworthy. ere are some behaviors most of us probably agree are trust- building - like whether or not people follow through on their word and whether they demonstrate consistency. But there are other behaviors people would disagree or debate about whether they build or break trust. What are some of the different culturally-influenced ways of communicating and behaving that build or break trust in the workplace? 1. How we express feelings: Is your communication style more emotionally expressive, or restrained? ose who are more restrained are likely to react to those who are expressive as being intense or dramatic, and those who are expressive might interpret those who are restrained as cold or overly shy. Just by being who you are, you could be perceived as untrustworthy by others with a different communication style; 2. Whether we prioritize tasks or relationships: Organizational management research shows that people tend to prioritize one over the other, even if they value both. If a supervisor chronically prioritizes results and tasks and doesn't cultivate personal relationships and a people-oriented culture, burnout and turnover may result; 3. How we approach giving feedback: Do you give critical feedback directly, or do you use a more indirect approach? Do you use the feedback sandwich - couching "growth opportunities" in between positive feedback, or, do you consider that to be soft, "sugar-coating," or coddling? Do you give feedback regularly, or hold back because you don't want to rock the boat? ere are many more examples of building/breaking trust depending on different cultural norms. For example, how we approach decision-making and risk-taking, and how we manage time. If we are not intentional about it, we will automatically and unconsciously trust those who are most like us. In our organizations and teams, this means those who don't fit the dominant cultural norms are more likely to feel excluded, leading to decreased collaboration and motivation, and higher turnover. To build inclusive workplaces where people are motivated and high performing, all team members, especially those in positions of formal authority, need to understand their preferences for how to build trust, seek to understand others' preferences, and take steps to bridge the divide. e good news is there are simple steps we can take to start building trust across cultural differences. Take a look at this list of micropractices you can start right now: • Find commonalities: expand your ingroup by identifying things you have in common with those you perceive to be different; • Practice appreciation: if you don't trust someone initially, identify something you appreciate about them. Appreciation helps deactivate the brain's threat response; • Practice curiosity: ask your colleagues whom they admire, what kind of leadership they prefer, and when they feel at their best? • Know and share your trust-building preferences: e.g. task/ relationship, direct/indirect, feedback frequency, etc.; and • Practice the Platinum Rule: you know the Golden Rule, but what about Platinum? Do unto others as THEY would have you do unto them. Bridging the divide starts with empathy. New ways of behaving because you want to build trust with others can lead to powerful outcomes. If you're interested in learning more about building trust on your team or within your organization, email us at cil@berkeley.edu or visit us at the Robertson Center for Intercultural Leadership at cil.berkeley.edu. n Across Cultural Differences Building Trust CIL, The Robertson Center for Intercultural Leadership By Grace Michel, Assistant Director Participants in a CIL workshop discuss their communication styles and preferences for how to build trust.

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