In many organizations, we hear that trust must be earned. It’s treated as a hard-won reward — something people gain through consistent performance, loyalty, or time spent proving themselves. But what if this mindset is backward?
In truth, trust is often the seed, not the reward. It’s the starting point that makes performance, loyalty, and collaboration possible. Great leadership doesn’t wait for trust to be earned before extending it. It offers trust up front, as an investment in potential, as a signal of belief — and as a strategic act of influence.
I am a christian; grew up with church, prayer house and mission — and I served as leader in various roles for different churches, schools and mission organizations through 20+ years. Did you know that God, in the Bible, give trust as the seed, not the reward? I have learned some of my most valuable lessons in life and leadership though this undeserved, unexpected trust from Him.
Regardless of what you think of faith or Christianity, I bet this mindset can flip your leadership upside down. Because, this mindset shift — from conditional trust to generative trust — is a game-changer in how organizations develop leaders, build culture, and navigate change.
Let’s explore…
The leadership power of giving trust first
When leaders extend trust early, they’re doing more than being kind or idealistic. They’re activating a powerful psychological and relational principle: people tend to rise to the expectations placed on them. When someone feels trusted, they’re more likely to act in trustworthy ways. That’s not wishful thinking — it’s behavioral science.
Giving trust first:
- Encourages ownership and intrinsic motivation
- Signals respect and confidence
- Reduces defensiveness and resistance
- Speeds up decision-making by removing bottlenecks
In other words, trust can create the very conditions required to sustain it.
Trust as a catalyst for growth and autonomy
In environments where trust is the reward, people tend to play it safe. They wait for permission, defer responsibility, and hesitate to innovate. But when trust is extended from the beginning, it communicates something profoundly empowering: We believe in you. We see your capacity. You’re not here to prove your worth — you’re here to use it.
That shift fosters:
- Psychological safety: People speak up more freely when they aren’t under a microscope.
- Faster learning: Individuals are more willing to experiment and own mistakes.
- Higher engagement: Feeling trusted taps into a deep need for significance and agency.
Of course, trust doesn’t mean a lack of structure. It means providing clear expectations, supportive accountability, and the freedom to grow within those boundaries.
The risks of withholding trust
When leaders wait to trust others until they’ve “proven” themselves, they may unintentionally create an environment of anxiety and hesitation. People may:
- Hold back ideas to avoid being wrong
- Seek constant reassurance or approval
- Compete instead of collaborate
- Focus more on looking good than doing good
This defensive culture stifles innovation, slows decisions, and drains energy. Ironically, it also makes people less likely to show initiative — reinforcing the very fear that caused the leader to withhold trust in the first place.
Trust withheld becomes a self-fulfilling limitation.
How to lead with trust (without being naive)
Extending trust doesn’t mean ignoring red flags or abandoning accountability. It’s about choosing a default posture of belief in people’s potential, and designing systems that support both freedom and responsibility.
Here’s how you can lead with trust — wisely:
1. Trust Intentionally, Not Blindly
Instead of defaulting to suspicion, start with clarity. Define what success looks like, what autonomy is appropriate, and how progress will be reviewed. Then trust the person to deliver, checking in without micromanaging.
2. Separate Trust from Control
Control says, “I’ll watch you closely to make sure this doesn’t fail.”
Trust says, “I’ll support you and believe in your success — and we’ll learn together if adjustments are needed.”
3. Model What You Expect
If you want others to be transparent, show vulnerability. If you want people to take initiative, let them see you delegate visibly. Trust is contagious — but someone has to start the cycle.
4. Respond to Setbacks Constructively
Even when people drop the ball, trust can remain intact if leaders respond with curiosity, not condemnation. Use failures as learning moments rather than punishments.
When you plant trust, you cultivate culture
Organizations that build a culture of trust tend to outperform their peers. Why? Because trust enables:
- Faster collaboration across silos
- Greater resilience during change
- Stronger loyalty and retention
- Higher discretionary effort
These aren’t soft benefits. They’re competitive advantages rooted in human behavior.
But it starts with a leader’s decision to plant trust, even before there’s certainty it will be returned. That’s not weakness — that’s courageous leadership.
Someone has to go first
In any relationship — whether between colleagues, teams, or departments — someone must go first in giving trust. When leaders take that step, they not only set a tone of confidence and maturity, they invite others to do the same.
Trust given wisely is rarely wasted. And when it does fail, the cost is usually far lower than the long-term cost of never trusting at all.
So instead of asking, “Has this person earned my trust?”, try asking:
“What could happen if I gave it first?”
The answer might surprise you. Because often, that’s when trust begins to grow — not as a reward, but as the seed.
DREIESKIVA|Roald Kvam 
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