These Are the Reasons Your Sales Team Doesn’t Trust You (And How to Fix It)

As a sales manager, you likely feel confident that your team trusts you. Maybe you even believe you have their full buy-in. Trust is absolutely the foundation of any successful sales team.

But here’s the catch: sometimes, even the best leaders unknowingly do things that erode trust with their team. The good news? Once you know what to watch for, it’s easy to course-correct and rebuild that trust.

Here are three common mistakes that might be silently killing your team’s trust and what you can do about them.

Cancelling Meetings Too Often

When you cancel meetings regularly, your team interprets it as a sign that their time isn’t a priority for you which then translate to they aren’t important to you.

Of course, life happens and sometimes meetings must be rescheduled. But it shouldn’t become a pattern.

Here’s a good rule of thumb:

• If you have weekly meeting, try not to cancel more than 1 per month.
• If you have biweekly meetings, avoid cancelling more than 1 every 2 months.

If cancellations are more frequent, it sends the message that your team’s development and communication aren’t important enough to stick to.

Changing the Team’s Focus Too Often

In sales, consistent direction is key. Shifting priorities too frequently can leave your team confused and ultimately disengaged.

Sure, major business events like acquisitions, layoffs, or new regulations can necessitate rescheduling or canceling meetings. But outside of those rare occasions, your team’s goals and focus should stay stable for at least a quarter at a time.

 Having your team create territory plans or an opportunity analysis isn’t a bad idea but if you never review or discuss them, your team knows it’s just busy work.

When team members feel their effort isn’t valued or leveraged, they stop putting their best work in. Don’t let that happen.

Not Being in the Field With Your Team

Spending time in the field or on ride along calls for inside sales team members shows your team that you’re invested in their success.

It also gives you firsthand insight into the unique challenges of their territory, the health of client relationships, and market conditions they’re facing.

If you never get out there with them, it can feel like you don’t care about their work or the obstacles they overcome every day. This makes it harder to offer meaningful support and build trust with them.

Need Help Getting It Right?

If you’re a new sales manager or want a proven system to build communication and trust in your team, check out these resources:

• New Manager Checklist — A step-by-step guide to starting strong
• Sales Team Communication Toolkit — Tools and templates for effective dialogue