Am geringsten ist das Vertrauen bei denjenigen, die Führungsentscheidungen treffen

Low Trust Creates a Gap Between Decisions and Action 

Trust Declines from the Top Down 

Trust in the workplace remains alarmingly low. Across leaders, just 34% trust their immediate manager to do what is right, and 31% trust senior leaders. That means roughly two-thirds of leaders lack strong trust in the people leading them. But those averages hide a troubling gap between the people making decisions and the people carrying them out. At the executive level, 55% trust their manager and 43% trust their fellow senior leaders. Among individual contributors, those numbers fall to 25% and 21%.

That means trust is weakest right where decisions turn into action. Mid-level and frontline managers are responsible for translating strategy into what their teams actually do: explaining the reasoning behind decisions, setting priorities, aligning their teams, and following through on new direction. Senior leaders need to equip these leaders to provide the context, clarity, and support line leaders need to communicate decisions with confidence and build trust with their teams. When frontline leaders don't trust the people making decisions, that handoff from strategy to execution gets harder. They're more likely to hedge, wait to see whether a new priority sticks, or pass it along without real conviction, and their teams pick up on that.

The data shows what’s at stake: Leaders who trust senior leaders are 5.9X more likely to say decisions communicated by leadership translate into action. That means decisions are more likely to shape priorities, behaviors, and what teams actually do. Yet, executives experience more than twice the trust that individual contributors do (43% vs 21% trust senior leaders). From the top, trust can look healthy, leaving executives unaware of the gap and of how much execution at the front line depends on trust in them.

Alignment Starts with Trust at the Top 

The disconnect is especially striking among executives. While 55% trust their manager, only 43% trust their peers, the largest gap between the two measures at any level. That's a critical execution problem: Senior leaders are responsible for setting organizational direction. But when trust is weak, alignment is at risk of breaking down before direction ever reaches the front line. If leaders at the top don't trust one another, it becomes much harder to build the alignment and conviction across the rest of the organization.

Proximity Alone Doesn’t Build Trust 

Working side by side doesn't guarantee trust either. Between onsite, remote, and hybrid work groups, remote leaders are the most likely to trust their manager (44%), compared with 36% of hybrid leaders and 31% of those fully in person. As many organizations push for more in-office time to rebuild connection, the data suggests that proximity alone doesn't build trust; the behaviors do.

DDI's research shows that the behaviors most closely tied to manager trust center on character and care. Ethical decisions and concern for team members' well-being are most closely linked to trust, followed by clear direction. Other trust-building behaviors include maintaining confidentiality, inspiring employees, and encouraging people to speak up without fear of repercussions.

Together, these findings send an important signal: Building trust in the workplace depends less on where people work and more on how leaders show up and treat others. For organizations that have focused leadership development heavily on strategy and execution, building trust requires equal attention to the interpersonal behaviors that shape employees' everyday experiences with their leaders.

Building trust in the workplace depends less on where people work and more on how leaders show up and treat others.

Trust Shapes Engagement and Performance 

Trust also goes beyond execution, shaping how leaders feel about their work and how ready they are for change. Leaders who trust their managers are:  

• 1.9X more likely to find their jobs full of meaning and purpose. 
• 2X more likely to feel prepared to anticipate and react to the nature and speed of change.
• 2.1X more likely to feel energized by their work. 

And the impact extends to business performance. Organizations whose development programs prioritize trust-building meet financial targets at a 49% higher rate.

Trust isn't a nice-to-have for improving engagement scores-it's essential to execution. When trust is lowest among the people closest to execution, leaders may struggle to turn even good ideas into action. 

Building trust in the workplace takes more than communication alone. It grows through people's everyday experiences with their leaders. To strengthen trust where execution happens, focus on these foundational leadership behaviors:

1. Show people they can trust how decisions are made.

Employees are more likely to trust leaders when they consistently demonstrate integrity and care. Explain the reasoning behind difficult decisions, provide clear direction, protect confidentiality, and make it safe for people to raise concerns without fear of repercussions. These are among the manager behaviors DDI's research associates with higher trust.

This becomes especially important when decisions made at the top must travel through multiple layers of the organization. Not every leader can be involved in making the decision, but they can be involved in how it is communicated and executed. Senior leaders should keep line leaders close to the decision by giving them the context they need and involving them in how the change will be carried out with their teams. That involvement builds buy-in and confidence, and it strengthens their ability to execute.

Employees may not agree with every decision, but understanding how and why leaders made it can help them maintain trust as they put it into action. Build leaders' confidence in a new approach by giving them a safe environment to practice making and communicating difficult decisions.

Employees whose managers support their development are 4.8X more likely to trust their manager than employees reporting lower levels of developmental support.

2. Develop and promote leaders who build trust.

One of the strongest ways managers can demonstrate that they care about their people is by investing in their growth. Employees whose managers support their development are 4.8X more likely to trust their manager than employees reporting lower levels of developmental support.

Coaching matters too. Leaders who believe their managers coach them effectively are 9X more likely to trust their managers than those who do not.

Organizations should also consider trust-building behaviors when making talent decisions. Talent reviews and promotion decisions can emphasize accomplishments and technical capabilities while overlooking how leaders achieve results. Include behaviors such as coaching, supporting development, acting with integrity, and building trust when evaluating leadership potential and readiness. Otherwise, organizations risk advancing leaders who deliver results but undermine the trust needed to sustain them.

To strengthen your organization's development environment, give leaders multiple ways to understand their strengths, practice new behaviors, get feedback, and access real-time support when they need it most. Development shouldn't be limited to a once-a-year intervention. Give leaders support in the flow of work, especially when change hits and they need to apply new skills in the moment.

3. Build trust before you need people to act.

Trust becomes particularly important when organizations need people to respond quickly to change. Leaders who trust their managers are 2X more likely to feel prepared to anticipate and react to the nature and speed of change.

Trust has to be built before disruption occurs. It develops through repeated actions and experiences over time, creating a stronger foundation when new decisions and priorities must move quickly through the organization.

Trust has to be built before disruption occurs. It develops through repeated actions and experiences over time, creating a stronger foundation.

That makes it worth measuring. Because executives experience more than twice the trust that individual contributors do, organizations can't rely on how trust looks from the top. Gather feedback on trust at every level of leadership, and give leaders insight into whether their everyday behaviors are creating the trust they'll need when teams are asked to act quickly.

The path from decision to execution isn't automatic. It depends on the people carrying that decision forward and the trust they have in the leaders setting direction. That trust is built over time, through consistent actions, clear decisions, and meaningful involvement. When trust is strong, leaders can carry change forward with greater confidence, creating a stronger link between decisions made at the top and action throughout the organization.