06/16/2025

Five Signals that Make You Instantly More Trustworthy at Work

Your body constantly sends subtle signals that influence trust

Believe it or not, first impressions are biological. When meeting someone for the first time, well before your résumé or title is considered, your brain and body are sending and receiving subtle signals that influence trust. In today's workplaces, where hybrid teams and digital interactions dominate, those signals matter more than ever.

The good news is you can learn to send them more intentionally. In my work developing leadership biodynamics, a biology of behavior approach to executive presence, I help leaders become more aware of how trust and connection are built at the behavioral level. The signals that trigger trust are not abstract: they are cues the human brain is wired to read quickly and deeply, because in evolutionary terms, deciding whether someone was safe to approach was once a matter of survival.

That is still true in the modern workplace. Whether you are onboarding to a new team, pitching an idea to executives or building rapport with clients, the signals you send, especially those of warmth, create the foundation for influence.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Fast Company.