How to Build Trust When Joining a New Team
When you join a new team, it’s natural to want to prove yourself. But earning trust isn’t about delivering fast or showing off what you know—it’s about how you show up, listen, and slowly become part of the fabric of the team.
At Loop, my first week was intentionally designed as a learning week. I was given a schedule packed with conversations across the org—engineers, PMs, even folks outside my direct team. No pressure to build, no assignments, just… listen, learn, connect. It’s a thoughtful setup that allows trust to build not through speed, but through presence.
From there, trust came gradually. As we worked together, shared problems, solved bugs, and debated solutions, it grew. I don’t remember any lightning-bolt moment. It was the kind of slow trust that comes from consistency—showing up, doing what you said you’d do, and being open to feedback.
Something I’ve reflected on more recently is my own relationship with trust. I used to be one of those “you have to earn it” types. But over time I’ve come to see how that posture, while protective, doesn’t actually invite connection. These days, I try to give trust more freely—maybe not the kind that throws open all the doors, but the kind that says, “I believe you’re here for the right reasons.” Especially in engineering, where people tend to be intrinsically motivated, I’ve found that giving trust upfront helps new teammates settle in faster and perform better.
It’s also helped me better support those joining the team after me. Because I remember what that first month felt like. The uncertainty. The quiet checking of Slack channels. The slow rhythm of figuring out how things work. If someone had second-guessed everything I did from day one, I’d probably have never found my rhythm. So I try to hold that same space for others now—ask more than I tell, listen more than I direct, and trust that if someone’s here, they’re here to do good work.
There’s no shortcut to trust. But there is a posture we can take that makes it easier: be curious, be consistent, and be human. Trust follows.
Next time: How to Spot Misalignment Early (Before It Becomes a Problem)
