Speed of Trust

The Speed of Trust

One of the best feelings in management? Seeing a team that truly supports you. The feeling of knowing, sensing, seeing, that a team trusts you to take them forward, to push, to guide, to lead!

But let's be honest, this isn't utopia. It doesn't happen overnight. It takes effort, patience, and a lot of trust. Trust: Both Ways!

Trust is the foundation of great teams. It transforms how we work together and what we accomplish.

From Enforcer to Teammate

Years ago, before I took on the responsibility of leading a production team, I was the "Quality guy." The shop floor knew me as the person who demanded root cause analysis and asked tough questions like, "How did this escape happen?" I remember the shopfloor going silent when I walked through the shopfloor, looking for a root cause. I wasn't as eloquent back then, and my deep voice and heavier stature didn't exactly make me sound friendly. I was the enforcer, the one who pointed out problems.

Then something changed. One day, it hit me: the people I was managing could have been family. The operator on the harness sub-assembly line? She could have been my mother. The summer temp? My cousin. That thought shifted everything. Everyone comes to work with their own thoughts, feelings, situations; which many times, we have no idea about!

The Power of Curiosity Over Judgment

Instead of interrogating, I started listening. I approached with curiosity, not judgment. I sat down with operators when issues arose. When they struggled to understand why crimps weren't right or why lead-free solder looked different, I was there; not as a critic, but as a resource.

Over time, something amazing happened. I wasn't just their manager anymore. I was part of the team. People came to me with problems, ideas, and opportunities. They trusted me. And little did they know, I trusted them too. I felt an immense sense of gratitude to the individuals who would call me out. During a gemba walk I would hear,

• "Matthew, do you have a minute... Let me show you this..."
• "Matthew, can you help us out with this… this is so frustrating…"
• "Matt, I made this, what do you make of it? Can we implement it across?"

That trust changed everything.

There's nothing that beats that feeling, the sense of belonging with the people you spend most of your day with.

The Challenge

So here's my challenge to you: Be part of the team. Go see. Go understand. Go learn. The shop floor has more lessons to teach you than any office ever will.

The speed of trust isn't measured in days or weeks. It's measured in consistent actions, genuine care, and the willingness to see people as whole human beings. When you make that shift, everything changes.