Ask for help. It can either be help with a certain task, help managing the workload, or even help with learning something, like say, how to use Excel or Outlook more effectively. When asking help, you are being vulnerable. You admit you don’t know something and are not able to deal with it on your own. This is not a matter of shame, but a matter of strength. When people see you don’t hide your vulnerabilities, they will trust you more.
Be transparent with your goals, whatever they are. It helps people understand why you behave the way you do. Otherwise, they will attribute their own meaning to your actions. If getting promoted at the earliest is your goal, share that with your colleagues, so when they see you work hard and long, or take on challenging projects, they know why. Or if weekends are sacred time with family, share that, so when you are not reachable on a Sunday, they know why.
Seek feedback. Ask your colleagues and manager how you are doing. If you want honest responses, then don’t get defensive or disinterested when they respond. Reflect on what they tell you, and where relevant, act on it. When you reach out to seek feedback, it shows you have an open mind, the courage to hear maybe not so nice things, and the willingness to make amends. You will initially see that people are reluctant to share specifics, whether good or bad. They will respond with a generic “you are doing fine”, etc. You need to persist and ask in different ways. Here are some examples:
What one thing would you like me to do more of?
Can I be do something to make things easier for you?
What skill or competency should I develop in the next 3-6 months?
Are there other tips that have helped you build trust? Drop a note in comments and let us know!