When Workplace Trust Breaks: How to Rebuild After Conflict

Zoie Newman • July 6, 2026

Recently in an online course I was teaching around conflict resolution the question came up, “what happens when the other person refuses to let the conflict go?” We talk a lot about resolving conflict, but less about what happens afterward. Even when the conversation is over, the impact may remain. Trust does not automatically return because someone apologized, a meeting was held, or HR closed a case, and the other party might be unable to let go of their anger until real action is being taken. Rebuilding trust requires accountability, consistency, and a willingness to repair what was damaged.

 

What breaks trust? Inconsistency, micromanaging, and gossip are all the obvious answers, but the mishandling of conflict with either avoidance, being overly direct and aggressive or the simple fact that resolution didn’t land very well with one party, can all have its impact. But if it’s the later reason, and you feel you have done everything you can to create a meaningful space to resolve conflict, be empathetic and listen to someone’s needs and trust has still not returned then it’s possible we are trying to move on to quickly. The best action one can take after conflict can sometimes allow for pause. We often talk about pause before responding or engaging in conflict, but it can also be a great tool to use after conflict as well to allow people to process and emotions to cool. One of the greatest gifts we can give others is to show respect and showing respect to someone’s emotions by not rushing past them but acknowledging them and letting them be without fixing it.

 

When repair is possible, we can rebuild trust with this simple model I like from “The Trust Advisor” by Maister, Green & Galford

 

Trust = Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy

                               Self-Orientation

 

We can have accuracy, dependability, empathy and discernment, while also thinking about their needs versus our own. All these steps over time can help you slowly rebuild trust and show goodwill in sticking with the resolution of conflict.

 

When trust is not possible to rebuild, we have our values to guide us. This is where turning values affirmation exercise onto a particular circumstance or conflict can be beneficial to help guide you on your own behaviors. For instance, if kindness is a strong core value for you, then what behaviors can you create and reflect on that continue to show the other person kindness? What actions help you be kind through a difficult or awkward dynamic? Being self-guided in your own actions and forward movement after conflict will be the cornerstone for meaningful resolution when the other party has disengaged from resolution or the relationship.

 

Ultimately, rebuilding trust after conflict is not about forcing closure or convincing someone to move on before they are ready. It is about showing, over time, that repair matters through consistent behavior, thoughtful accountability, and respect for the impact the conflict created. Sometimes trust can be rebuilt into something stronger, and sometimes the healthiest outcome is learning how to move forward with integrity, even when the relationship does not fully recover. Either way, conflict gives us an opportunity to practice who we want to be, steady, honest, empathetic, and guided by our values. When we stop treating resolution as the end of the process and begin seeing repair as part of the work, we create workplaces where trust has a real chance to return.


Share

The Sage Source: Insights in HR & Development

Built to Last: What Makes a Strong Business Partner

By Zoie Newman • October 5, 2026
Over the past year, I’ve heard the same comment from many solo entrepreneurs: “It must be nice to have a business partner.” It is—but a strong partnership depends on more than having someone beside you. I’ve been fortunate to build a business with a partner who supports and challenges me, helps shape what we put into the world, teaches me, and pushes me to grow. Because not all partnerships work this way, I want to share what our experience has taught me about building one that lasts. First, it is important to say that respecting your business partner and liking them are not the same thing. I am fortunate to count my business partner as one of my closest friends, but before partnering with anyone, there are two more important questions to ask: Do I respect them professionally? Do I trust them? I do not mean surface-level trust, such as whether they will show up on time. I mean deep, vulnerability-based trust—the kind that allows you to have honest conversations about money, values, and what is best for the business. These questions are foundational. Without respect and trust, a partnership can undermine your business goals. When those core elements are present, I have found three other areas especially important when considering what makes a strong business partnership: Have you seen each other at your worst? My business partner and I have known each other since college, and our travels through Thailand, Nicaragua, and parts of the U.S. tested us through crowded hostels, long journeys, hunger, exhaustion, and too little sleep. In those difficult moments, we continued to choose care, respect, patience, and forgiveness. Those experiences showed me that we could adapt without losing ourselves or damaging the relationship. A partnership that has never been tested offers little evidence of how it will hold up under pressure. Before going into business together, ask whether past challenges have strengthened your relationship or exposed patterns that could make working together harder. How do you manage conflict? Conflict will arise—and it should. Healthy tension is a cornerstone of building a durable business. It reveals how partners respond under pressure, deepens the relationship, and can push the company to improve, uphold its values, and achieve more. How partners handle conflict also sets the standard for the wider organization. Make constructive disagreement feel normal from the start and address small tensions before they grow. What does each of you bring to the table? If you bring identical strengths, that may be a problem. A strong business partner should complement you, not mirror you, by filling gaps with different abilities. I am more emotional, creative, visual, and quick to act; my partner is more analytical, practical, and deliberate. These differences create productive tension: they push me to do more research and him to make decisions. One partner may bring the passion and purpose, while the other brings the practical plan. Companies such as Apple and Microsoft were built on complementary partnerships. Yours need not look the same, but your partner should help you grow and challenge your thinking. This is only one perspective on choosing a business partner, but it reflects what has worked for our company, and the many successful companies that have come before us. Before committing, clarify your values, needs, expectations, and non-negotiables. Then ask whether the person beside you has earned your trust, complements your strengths, and can navigate pressure and disagreement with honesty and respect. The right partnership will not remove every challenge, but it can make challenges easier to face and turn them into opportunities for growth. When both people are committed to the relationship as well as the business, the partnership can become one of the company’s greatest assets.

Reflecting On Our First Year of Business

By Zoie Newman • September 8, 2026
“As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.” – Rumi