In short
A new woman manager in a male-dominated workplace struggles to earn trust from two direct reports who previously worked with her director and have voiced doubts about her abilities.
Guest backgrounds
The transcript doesn’t name any guests or provide bios; it’s an “Ask the Amys” advice-style episode with two hosts (“the Amys”).
Key claims
Don’t frame trust-building as “proving competence” (avoid a deficit model). Assume you were hired for a reason and lead with confidence. Ask your director to explicitly reinforce that you’re the right person and to back you when employees question your abilities.
Notable examples
Employees’ comments to the director about not trusting her; she’s the only woman on an all-male staff.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOBuilding Trust as a New Manager
0:30 to 2:19
Discover strategies for gaining trust and respect in a new managerial role.
“So when your mind won't switch off, you've got something that can help.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:28This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. back support is made with a blend of melatonin and L-theanine for both kiddos and grownups. So when your mind won't switch off, you've got something that can help. Erasing thoughts and restless nights won't stand a chance. Find Oli Sleep Solutions for the whole family at Oli.com. That's O-L-L-Y dot com. So this next question is from a woman who entered a very male-dominated context and is struggling. So she writes, I started a new position as a manager with a new company and industry in 2024. I report to a director and have two employees who report to me.
1:06Before I joined, those two employees reported to my boss. I've been struggling to gain their trust and respect because they already have a working relationship with my manager. Both employees have made comments to my manager about not trusting my abilities, which has been very hard to hear. I'll also add that I am the only woman on a staff of all men. I sometimes can't help but wonder if I'm experiencing bias from them. You don't want to be put in a position of having to prove that you are competent. Yeah. You were hired for this job for a reason and you want your boss to reinforce that. Right.
1:43I think that you have to convince them becomes a deficit model. Right. And then I think you need to go in with the vote of confidence that your boss put you in this position for a reason. Right. At the same time, I would ask for your boss to have your back and say, how have you reinforced that I'm the right person for this job? Making sure your boss has your back, but not, like you said, sort of trying to desperately show I'm the right person. I'm the right person. Just assume you are.
2:18Thank you.
From the publisher
Ask the Amys: Building Trust as a New Manager
11 Apr 2025
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Struggling to earn trust as a new manager? You don’t need to prove yourself to everyone. Here’s what to do instead, from HBR’s Women at Work podcast.
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