EP11 - How do I build trust with my team fast?

People overcomplicate this.

Trust is not built with off-sites, team dinners, or motivational speeches.

It is built with transparency.

If you want to trust fast, make the business clear.

Be transparent about your pricing.
Be transparent about how revenue is shared.
Be transparent about how decisions are made.
Be transparent when things go well. And when they do not.

When people have to guess how the company works, they protect themselves. That is when politics start.

I prefer systems over guessing.

Start with the North Star

Every team needs direction. But direction is useless if it stays abstract.

In X years, we want to be at level Y.

Fine. Now make it concrete.

What does that mean this year?
What does that mean this quarter?
What does that mean for you and for me?

Trust grows when people see how their daily work connects to the bigger picture.

If the goal is clear and the path is visible, people move faster. Not because they are pushed, but because they understand.

Make Roles Visible

Another fast trust killer is role confusion.

Who decides?
Who owns what?
What does success look like for each role?

If this is unclear, friction appears.

I like to make responsibilities explicit. Not to control people, but to remove noise. When everyone understands what others do, respect increases. Collaboration becomes easier.

Transparency Is Not Weakness

Some leaders hide numbers or problems because they think it protects the team.

It does the opposite.

If something is off track, say it early. Explain what is happening. Share the plan. Ask for support where needed.

Teams can handle reality. They cannot handle surprises.

Trust is built in difficult moments, not in good ones.

Systems Create Safety

I believe in rhythm.

Clear goals.
Regular updates.
Simple planning.
Open conversations.

Not bureaucracy. Structure.

Structure makes people feel safe. And when people feel safe, performance improves.

Trust Creates Speed

Many founders think transparency slows things down.

In my experience, confusion slows things down.

If the model is clear, people stop debating the basics.
If the direction is clear, energy aligns.
If roles are clear, decisions move faster.

Trust is a performance tool.

If you want to build trust fast, do not start with culture decks.

Start with clarity.

Open the model.
Define the North Star.
Make roles visible.
Communicate in real time.

Then deliver.

Good delivery builds a reputation.
Transparency builds trust.
Together, they build teams that last

Timecode:

00:00 Build Trust Fast

00:02 Radical Transparency

00:06 Transparent Money Models

00:16 Honesty in Hard Times

00:20 North Star Alignment

00:26 Make Goals Actionable

00:38 Clear Roles and Visibility

Links:

Uniprisma: https://uniprisma.com/

Meijer & Co.: https://meijerandco.com/

Personal Website: https://www.thijmenmeijer.com/

Transcript:

How do I build trust with my team fast? first of all is transparency. be transparent in anything. In your pricing model, in the sharing, fee sharing in the, any kind of revenue models, it, it builds a lot of trust. also when, things are going well, but also when things are going, not so well.

transparency it's key in processes, but it's also key in, having that, north star, goal. And how to granularly, get people, connected to that North Star goal. meaning I want to go, in X years, I want to be at, at Level Y and how do I get there? And the team actually transparently knows exactly what, each others do.