Building Trust with Coworkers

Dale Carnegie Training®

Question:

I have recently started working at a new firm.  I have been learning so much over the past few weeks and everyone is very nice, except for one coworker.  This coworker has been working for the firm for many years and knows pretty much everything there is to know about my position, many times I find myself asking her simple questions and she responds with “I don’t know”, even though I know she knows the information.  I know that we will be working together on many projects and duties.  How can I get her to open up and work with me?

Answer:

It is very good that you are taking a proactive approach to this situation.  There could be 1000 reasons to why your coworker is uncooperative.  However, many people view new employees with skepticism.  Since you are a new employee you might need to gain her trust.  Here are a few tips that help you build trust with your coworker:

1)       Involve - Involve her in decisions, display an open and accepting attitude and be receptive.  Your coworker might view you as competition. Set her mind at ease by including her on your different project.

2)       Be confident – Speak confidently, decisively, and with authority, and evidence.  If you are confident and have evidence she will take notice and recognize that you know what you are talking about and you mean business.

3)       Share the glory – If she helps you out even a little bit, include her in your email or report to your boss.  She will know that you are appreciative and won’t hog all the recognition. 

4)       Defer to Expertise – Be modest and be willing to defer to another’s expertise.  If the situation comes up where you realize that your coworker knows more about a certain subject than you do, let her answer and take recognition for her answer.

5)       Be a stellar role model – Act professional and always walk the talk.  Even if your coworker is unprofessional and uncooperative, if you maintain a professional demeanor it will rub off on others.

-Michael Crom, Executive Vice President of Dale Carnegie Training®

If you have any business related questions or would like advice on other workplace issues, visit our web site at www.bc.dalecarnegie.com or email me at paul.sinkevich@dalecarnegie.com.