Trust gets broken. Even in healthy teams. Even with the best intentions.

A deadline gets missed. A comment lands the wrong way. Someone shuts down instead of leaning in. And suddenly, there’s distance where there used to be flow.

So how can we come back from that?

One of the most powerful ideas I’ve borrowed (and returned to again and again) is from negotiator William Ury. When trust is broken between two parties, Ury recommends that each begin to build a Golden Bridge, a way back that feels safe and dignified for both sides.

(This conversation with Ury and Tim Ferriss is one of my favorites on this topic. If you’ve got a walk or a commute this week, give it a listen.)

When trust breaks, it’s tempting to wait for the other person to “make the first move.” But what if the first move was just… making it easier for them to meet you in the middle?

Trust is not built by sweeping things under the rug.

It usually starts with one small, genuine gesture that says, “I’m still here if you are.” Something that makes it a little easier for the other person to meet you halfway.

And if there’s someone on your team you’re trying to reconnect with, you don’t have to fix everything overnight.

Just offer a first plank of the bridge. Sometimes that’s all it takes to get things moving again.