How to Rebuild Trust After You’ve Lost It

Trust is the foundation of every strong team. It fuels collaboration, commitment, and performance. But what happens when trust is broken?

Even the best leaders can lose trust. A rushed decision. A miscommunication. A broken promise. Sometimes, it’s not one moment, but a slow erosion over time. The result is the same: distance, doubt, and disengagement.

The good news is that trust can be rebuilt. Not instantly but steadily, through action and consistency.

In this edition of Learn Leadership, we explore:

• Why trust breaks and what it costs your leadership

• A case study from Howard Schultz’s return to Starbucks

• Five steps to start rebuilding trust with your team

• Common mistakes leaders make when trying to “fix it fast”

• A practical challenge to lead with transparency

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The Leadership Lesson Explained

Trust is not built on a title. It’s built on behavior. It’s your consistency in doing what you say, treating people fairly, and owning mistakes when they happen.

When trust breaks, everything slows down:

• Communication becomes cautious

• Feedback dries up

• Collaboration becomes forced

• Engagement drops

Rebuilding trust requires a leader to shift from defense to ownership. It requires vulnerability, follow-through, and time.

Why leaders lose trust:

• Overpromising and underdelivering

• Changing direction without explanation

• Avoiding difficult conversations

• Failing to recognize effort or mistakes, including their own

Rebuilding begins with acknowledging the break, not denying it. Your team already feels it. The question is, what will you do next?

Real-Life Case Study: Howard Schultz’s Return to Starbucks

In 2008, Starbucks was struggling. Its brand was diluted. Its stores were losing their unique culture. Rapid expansion had led to operational decline, and employees were losing faith in leadership.

Howard Schultz, the man who had once scaled Starbucks into a global name, returned as CEO to fix what had unraveled. But he didn’t return with a bold marketing campaign or aggressive new products. He began with trust.

One of his first acts was to shut down all 7,100 U.S. stores for several hours so baristas could be retrained on how to make the perfect espresso. This was symbolic, not just about coffee, but about values.

Schultz acknowledged publicly that the company had lost its way. He took ownership of decisions made under his watch. He listened to partners (employees), visited stores, and rebuilt belief one shift, one store, one team at a time.

The turnaround wasn’t instant. But it worked. Over time, Starbucks regained customer loyalty, internal pride, and market momentum. Not because of new products, but because the company rebuilt trust.

Strategies to Rebuild Trust

Trust doesn’t return with a single gesture. It comes from a series of small, intentional actions. Here are five practical strategies to help you start the process.

1. Acknowledge the Damage

You cannot rebuild what you don’t admit is broken. Ignoring the issue only deepens the divide.

Try this: Share openly what you believe went wrong. Invite feedback on how your decisions were experienced.

Why it matters: Honesty opens the door to repair. It also shows courage and maturity in leadership.

2. Own Your Role

Don’t deflect blame. Your team already knows what happened, they’re watching to see if you’ll take responsibility.

Try this: Use language like “I missed the mark here,” or “I see how my actions affected the team.”

Why it matters: Ownership builds credibility. Excuses destroy it.

3. Recommit Through Action

Words help, but change is what restores trust. Your next decisions must reflect your stated values.

Try this: Set clear commitments and follow through. For example, if you promise better communication, schedule regular updates.

Why it matters: People trust what they see. Consistency rebuilds confidence.

4. Invite Feedback (and Really Listen)

The people most affected by a trust breakdown often have the clearest insight on how to fix it.

Try this: Ask your team, “What do you need from me to feel reconnected or supported?” Then act on what you hear.

Why it matters: Listening shows respect. Acting shows you mean it.

5. Be Patient and Persistent

Trust won’t return overnight. You must lead through the awkwardness and stay steady.

Try this: Don’t expect instant openness. Keep showing up, keep following through.

Why it matters: Trust isn’t given back quickly, but it can be earned back through consistency.

Mistakes to Avoid

Trying to rebuild trust without care can make things worse. Here are five common mistakes that derail recovery:

1. Rushing the Process

Leaders often want to “move on” quickly. But trust rebuilds at the speed of the person who lost it, not the one who broke it.

Instead: Let your team set the pace. Focus on consistency over speed.

2. Overcorrecting Without Explanation

Suddenly changing behavior without explanation can confuse your team.

Instead: Narrate your shift. “I’ve realized this hasn’t been working, here’s what I’m doing differently and why.”

3. Avoiding Direct Conversations

If you skip 1-on-1 conversations with key team members, wounds remain unspoken.

Instead: Schedule time to hear their perspective. Let them share without pressure to agree with you.

4. Acting Defensive

Even well-intended pushback can feel like denial to your team.

Instead: Validate their feelings. You don’t need to agree with every detail to show empathy.

5. Expecting Credit Too Soon

Doing the right thing doesn’t earn instant applause.

Instead: Stay focused on the process, not the recognition.

Weekly Challenge

This week, choose one relationship where you sense trust has been strained.

Have a conversation. Name what happened. Take ownership. Ask what they need from you now. Then do it not once, but consistently.

Trust isn’t rebuilt by one apology. It’s restored through repeated proof that you’ve learned, adjusted, and grown.