To build trust up and down the chain of command, you have to ______.

• A. Give Trust
• B. Earn Trust
• C. Withhold Trust
• D. Demand Trust

Answer: (A)

Giving trust starts the cycle of trust in an organization. When you entrust people with real responsibilities and decisions appropriate to their role, you show confidence in their judgment and integrity. That action signals safety and value, which encourages them to meet expectations, communicate openly, and act with accountability. As people see you consistently supporting and relying on them, trust builds both upward and downward through their responses and behavior. Earning trust is about the outcome of many trustworthy actions over time, not the initial move you make, so waiting to be earned delays the very mechanism that invites others to trust you. Withholding trust or demanding trust disrupts relationships and reduces willingness to take initiative. This is why giving trust is the practical way to cultivate a trustworthy environment across the chain of command.