Build Trust Faster Without Pretending You Have It All Together
- Cristina Stensvaag
- Sep 18, 2025
- 1 min read
Find strength in vulnerability and build trust in your team
September 18, 2025
Originally published in One More Rep, our weekly leadership newsletter. 👉 Subscribe here
Trust is the foundation of every strong team, and it’s built in small moments, not big gestures. This week’s rep shows how small acts of vulnerability create stronger connections and faster growth.
Read
“Remember, teamwork begins by building trust. And the only way to do that is to overcome our need for invulnerability.”
— Patrick Lencioni, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
Trust doesn’t appear overnight. It’s earned through consistency and honesty.
Each time you admit a mistake, share what you’re learning, or simply say “I don’t know,” you send a signal that it’s safe for others to do the same.
Over time, those moments compound into real trust -- the kind that makes hard feedback and deep collaboration possible.
Rep
In your next 1:1, share one small vulnerability: a mistake you made, a lesson you’re learning, or something you’re unsure about.
Small admissions like these show strength, not weakness. They invite openness and set the tone for trust to grow.
Reflect
Pause and consider:
Where are you holding back vulnerability that could strengthen trust on your team?
What’s one moment this week where honesty could create deeper connection?
