How do you build trust in an online community?

Trust is the foundation of any healthy relationship, based on a belief that others have our best interests at heart and will behave well towards us. In the context of institutions and governments, trust is essential to make productive changes that benefit the community. The global community is facing the issue of climate change, and people are relying on their leaders to take decisions that will secure their future. Recently, governments were called upon to make commitments to reduce emissions and promote climate justice at COP26. Some have received appreciation for their firm decisions, while others have been criticized for not doing enough, which shows how quickly trust can be gained or lost when leaders make decisions for their community.

How to build trust and credibility in the community?

Effective community engagement involves creating opportunities for individuals to engage with decision-makers and offer their input. It's important to ensure that these individuals feel like more than just a source of feedback. They should be treated as partners in the decision-making process.

• 3 ways to build trust in your community 

• Initiate meaningful conversation

Effective and respectful communication is essential for successful community engagement. To initiate a conversation with the community, it's crucial to ensure that people have a clear understanding of your process, goals, and intended outcomes. Provide a level-playing field and transparently communicate their role and stake in the initiative. To gain valuable input from all parties, it's important to show respect and provide all necessary information. Encourage multiple perspectives, offer equal opportunities for input, and keep an open mind to different viewpoints.

• Transparency 

To ensure effective community engagement, it's crucial to share information transparently and consistently throughout the project. This includes communicating the project's goals, intended outcomes, and the role of the community in decision-making and implementation. By doing so, community members will feel a sense of ownership over the project and its outcome. It's essential to be honest about how their input has been incorporated into the final decision, to maintain their trust and ensure transparency. Using clear and straightforward language is important when communicating complex issues to the community. Additionally, it's essential to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the initiative to promote open and honest communication.

• Do what you said you would do

Building trust requires consistency. If you have promised to incorporate community input into your decision-making process, it's important to follow through and communicate how their feedback was utilized. Showcasing how their input was applied and providing a clear explanation of how the decision was reached, including the reasoning behind it, is crucial in establishing trust with the community.

Communities and decision-makers work better together when there is trust

In order to navigate critical crossroads effectively, leaders must build trust in order to engage, empower, and work with their communities.

Are you looking for ways to build trust in your next community project? Then why don't you try our NblIK community? You can join by downloading the app from Google Play Store.