Trust is the invisible force that holds teams together, enabling collaboration, innovation, and resilience. Without trust, even the most talented teams struggle with misalignment, poor communication, and disengagement. Yet trust is not automatic - it must be intentionally built and nurtured over time. In this session, we explore how trust operates within professional environments and the key factors that strengthen or erode it.
Participants will gain insights into how credibility, reliability, and authenticity shape trust dynamics and why small, everyday interactions can have an outsized impact on team cohesion. Through the lens of group dynamics, we will examine how power structures, social norms, and unconscious biases influence trust in organizations. We will also explore how conscious communication - through transparency, consistency, and active listening - plays a critical role in sustaining trust over time. Whether you are leading a new team or working to rebuild trust after setbacks, this session will provide actionable strategies to foster psychological safety, encourage open dialogue, and create an environment where trust thrives.
"Ascend Leadership Monthly" is a webinar series created by Jina Etienne, CEO of Etienne Consulting, to inspire, inform, and elevate professionals at all levels. Each month, Jina tackles an essential leadership topic grounded in her passion for helping leaders build deep connections, cultivate safety, and thrive as inclusive, mindful, and trusted leaders. Each session equips participants to grow as leaders by building key competencies, improving communication, and fostering meaningful relationships. From navigating difficult conversations to building trust and achieving work-life balance, this series introduces critical leadership skills that are both practical and impactful. Whether you’re stepping into leadership for the first time or seeking to sharpen your skills, this webinar will equip you with the tools and insights needed to grow as a leader and make an immediate impact.
Identify the key components of trust and their impact on team performance
Recognize how group dynamics and organizational culture influence trust within teams
Define communication strategies to foster, maintain, and restore trust in professional relationships
Etienne Consulting
Diversity & Inclusion Consultant, Speaker & Trainer
[email protected]
(301) 778-5510
Jina is a consultant and speaker on diversity, inclusion, culture, and belonging. She creates training programs and workshops to help clients move forward in their D&I journey. She is a storyteller and speaks candidly about her experiences, hard lessons, and ‘aha’ moments that helped her understand the importance of individuality, the value of curiosity, and the courage it takes to “just” be yourself. Often described as “approachable” and “relatable” by her clients, she works with purpose and the intention of being engaging, practical, and immediately applicable to real-world situations. Jina draws from her unique background and mix of work experiences to offer examples and share insights designed to benefit everyone across the workplace ecosystem – executives, management, employees, and customers.
Previously, she was Principal Consultant at EtiennePartners (EP), a boutique consulting firm that offered a unique strategy development, workshops & coaching to leaders, executives and entrepreneurs. Co-founded with her husband, EP was a full-time partnership in both work and life. Although in different professions, their work often intersected around the importance of self-awareness in leadership and navigating conflict within teams. Combining their experiences, backgrounds, and work led to the development of their unique approach to D&I, which she continues to use in her practice today.