Fostering interpersonal trust as a norm in organizations: five key starting points

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to suggest ways that organizations can foster “interpersonal trust”. The author explores how the implementation of specific strategies can be used to “contextually cue” or “signal” the formation of interpersonal trust.

Design/methodology/approach

The author reviews two seeming disparate streams of literature: interpersonal trust and the psychology of habit formation. The author shows how the use of “contextual cuing” can be used to create dispositions of trust and how that trust can become an organizational norm, expectation or habit.

Findings

The author identifies five key steps that can be used to foster interpersonal trust.

Practical implications

Organizational commitment, knowledge sharing and collaboration and organizational learning have all been shown to have significant impacts on the organization’s bottom line. Given the demonstrable importance of “trust” then must ask, “what can organizations do to more effectively foster interpersonal trust?” The author identifies five key steps that can be used to foster interpersonal trust.

Social implications

Where there are two or more persons, there is “social interaction”. And, for that interaction to be civil, positive or productive, trust is required.

Originality/value

There is an abundance of literature regarding the importance of interpersonal trust, organizational trust and their implications. Yet, there is very little that speaks to the operationalization of the concepts with specific and targeted strategies. The author proposes five possible strategies.

Citation

Portis, R. (2015), "Fostering interpersonal trust as a norm in organizations: five key starting points", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 29 No. 4, pp. 10-13. https://doi.org/10.1108/DLO-01-2015-0008