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lead instead to the receiver distorting the information or ignoring the message
completely. (p. 294)
Trust in the sender is equally as important as trust in the message, and each part
informs the other. Because trust is dynamic, it is also important to note that trust can
and should be developed in a reciprocal way for maximum positive impact (Green,
2009). Communication is based in perception; therefore, developing reciprocal trust
via effective communication must be intentional. This can be done through consistent
behavior on the part of the administrator by modeling the preferred conduct until it
becomes a part of the organization’s perception of that administrator. Willemyns et
al. (2003) conducted a study of trust and communication in the workplace and found
that power disparities, a lack of credibility, and internal political struggles were
key contributors in the creation of a distrustful organizational culture. However,
by modeling reliability, credibility, and reciprocal trust, administrators demonstrate
high value in that behavior and set examples for others to follow (Green, 2009).
Demonstrating a high value in trusting communication can be done in a number
of ways. Posadas (2014) determined that, when employees are authentically given the
freedom to have input in decision-making, they are more likely to have confidence
in themselves, their superiors, their co-workers, and the organization itself. This
leads to better, more trusting relationships as well as buy-in to the organizational
processes and goals as employees aided in creating them (2014). In short, a successful
way to build trust within the organization is by valuing and encouraging employee
autonomy and input in the decision-making process. Furthermore, although this type
of trust (if not already in place) could take several years to produce the cultural
shift needed to become a core component of
an organization’s values, the result is a more
trusting and communicative environment,
which is vital to an organization’s success. Communication is based in
Another way to demonstrate a high value
in trusting communication is by utilizing perception; therefore, developing

collaborative teams in the decision-making
process. In one study, Ni et al. (2017) showed reciprocal trust via effective
that, while perception of an organization’s communication must be
culture and communication varied depending
on the subject or decision area, open, trusting intentional.
communication and collaboratively made
decisions increased an organization’s likelihood
of motivating employees and accomplishing
organizational goals. By demonstrating value in reciprocal communication and
decision-making, organizations can move away from placing blame, making excuses,
and being distrustful in communication to creating opportunities, collaboratively
solving problems, and building trusting relationships that will ultimately lead to
overall employee satisfaction and organizational growth (Calabrese, 2015).

Collaboration Strengthens Both Communication and Organization
Further research into current literature showed that, quite often, trust and
collaboration overlapped to strengthen both communication and organization;
this occurred specifically when collaborative opportunities were used to increase
trust. Calabrese (2015) claimed that collaborative storytelling is a particularly

Promoting Professional and Personal Growth of Educators and Excellence in Education 45