top of page
Search

Being a trustworthy communicator

Even if you don’t cross paths with the people you communicate with in real life, communication is still a 2-way street. And it always involves relationships, which are built on trust. What can we think about as communicators to prioritize trustworthiness in how we do our work?


What we mean by trustworthiness – and why it matters

When we look up trustworthy in the dictionary, we come across synonyms such as reliable, dependable, loyal, and steady. Words that suggest the opposite include unreliable, unsafe, problematic, and dubious. Most of us likely want our communications to represent the former, not the latter.

 

Here’s a scenario:

Deborah goes to a community center for multiple reasons: she...

  • Uses the food pantry

  • Participates in the community garden and

  • Volunteers as a reading tutor in the youth program

 

Recently, the center distributed slots for the community garden in a new way with no notice about the change. Deborah had been active in the community garden for years and had many ideas about making it more equitable, if asked.


At the same time, the food pantry hours have been changing frequently. Staff were rude when she suggested ways to update people more effectively about the changes. She is also supposed to meet with a new student next week to start tutoring, but she is hesitant. The community center doesn’t feel quite as welcoming as it used to.

 

Think about some of the ways that trust was broken. What are the impacts? What could the organization do to regain Deborah’s trust?



Examples of broken trust in communications

Here are some examples of communication issues to avoid – and how!


Information is misleading or confusing

Example: A local training program doesn’t list the fees until the person is almost to the end of the sign-up form.


Why this might be a problem: People might feel like the information is hidden on purpose to trick them into making a purchase.


Possible solutions:

  • Don’t hide information a reader needs to know – be transparent!

  • Identify any alternatives up front (in this case: payment plans, scholarships, etc.)


Tone and attitude are unpleasant or off-putting

Example: A parent forgets it is her turn to bring a snack to daycare. She gets a seemingly rude letter home after already feeling bad about the mistake.


Why this might be a problem: People might feel like they can’t share real problems with a place that feels judgmental or even mean to them.


Possible solutions:

  • Examine tone and power differences when communicating in writing, and considering using editing tools that detect tone issues if helpful

  • Approach issues with curiosity, not judgment

  • Identify ways you can improve the situation – in this example, do parents need a reminder to help them remember when it is their turn to bring a snack


Expectations and processes misaligned

Example: No one updated a program’s website information, and people who weren’t eligible came to sign up for the program.


Why this might be a problem: People might feel like their time is wasted or the organization doesn’t know what they are doing, leading to distrust.


Possible solutions:

  • Make sure that you track where information “lives” so that you can update it in ALL the places as needed

  • Consider a centralized location for information if you don’t have the capacity to do a lot of updates



Additional resources

Here are some resources to explore this topic further:



Reflecting on your work

  • Think of a time you used a service or interacted with person or place that you felt like earned your trust or broke your trust? What happened?

  • Imagine you were doing a presentation on trustworthiness at your organization. What examples would you give of things you or your program are already doing that you could highlight?

  • What is an issue that comes up that involves trust in your work that could be improved? Without judgement, brainstorm 5-10 things your program or organization could try to improve the situation. Pick one to try!


© April 2025 Literacy Works

We are always learning, too! If you find an error or have a suggestion, email tiara@litworks.org. 

bottom of page