Whether with friends, family, or in business, giving and receiving the benefit of the doubt is critical. The benefit of the doubt enables trust & respect, helps you stay focused and driven, and propels relationships forward. The opposite breaks trust deflates and can de-motivate anyone.
It’s no secret that a healthy workplace culture and trusting relationships between colleagues are vitally important in any organization. But before trust can be established, it’s essential to understand the importance of giving each other the benefit of the doubt. In this article, we will discuss why it’s necessary to give each other the benefit of the doubt in the workplace and tips for achieving this goal.
Giving each other the benefit of the doubt is vital amongst coworkers as it strengthens interpersonal trust and cooperation. If a coworker behaves oddly or unexpectedly, instead of assuming negative motives behind their actions, colleagues should pause and consider other potential explanations for their behavior. It could be that they misunderstood instructions or made an innocent mistake – rather than jumping to conclusions or engaging in rumor-mongering, which can spread mistrust throughout a team.
Studies have also found that people more likely to view others’ behaviors with a positive outlook tend to be happier overall. This means that assuming positive intentions toward your coworkers can positively affect your mental health and productivity at work. Similarly, allowing oneself to evaluate situations with an open mind leads to better problem-solving and communication between everyone involved.
So how do you give every other person you work with spurs belief? Here are some tips:
• Challenge yourself by taking a step back from conversations and situations before reacting negatively – presume there’s more to someone’s behavior than meets the eye
• When criticism is needed, always remain respectful when making comments – never point fingers or name names
• Be able and willing to look at something with an alternate perspective – take into account different opinions and experiences
• If possible, engage your coworkers in face-to-face discussions rather than relying solely on text messages – nothing beats good old-fashioned talking!
• Above all else, avoid gossiping! Gossip spreads quickly, resulting in issues being magnified out of proportion which only reduces trust levels so try and nip gossiping rumors in the bud whenever possible if you want to ensure everyone has a chance at being given spurs belief from one another.
