Trust in a Team
To be able to have a successful and productive team the level of the trust in the team is an integral part of the journey. It can improve your speed and output. It helps the team to be more successful and to work toward a common goal with no sabotaging and mistrust on the way.
Having trust in a team empowers team members to be open and honest with each other. That is very helpful when there is any issue or challenge. Communication then happens fast and efficiently. Team members who trust each other enjoys working together and therefore can share their resources and skills easier and that enhances the team’s output.
There are different levels of trust
When building and maintaining trust within a team, it is important to recognize that there are different levels of trust. Obviously, this isn’t a definitive list, but the levels can largely be broken down into three distinct categories:
- Foundational: On the most basic level, there is an expectation that team members can be relied upon to do their part and keep any promises or agreements they have made.
- Established: At the next level, there is the understanding that each member has the best interests of the team at heart and can be trusted to act with integrity.
- Vulnerable: Finally, there is a level of trust in which each member knows that they can rely on each other for support as well as professional guidance.
How to build trust in your team
If you want to build better trust on your team in the workplace, consider following these seven steps:
1. Communication
Communication is crucial. Team members need to feel informed, updated and involved as well as knowing which communication channels are available and safe. Be intentional with communicating. Be honest and vulnerable.
Allow people not to only share information but through listening attentively share understanding or each other and each other’s roles.
Create a space where people can communicate freely and openly without fear of judgment. A space where everyone and every opinion is respected and people can embrace their own and other’s vulnerabilities.
2. Be transparent
As a team leader, it’s important to share information with your team openly and honestly, and be willing to listen to their feedback. It also means being willing to admit when you’re wrong and taking responsibility for your mistakes. When team members feel like they can trust you, they’ll be more likely to work cooperatively with you and support your decisions.
Be honest about everything – your concerns. You might be worried about the speed of the team busy with a project. Be honest and share your concerns. If you see that something in lacking or is an obstacle – share it with the team. If the team sees you as a leader being honest and open they are more likely to be honest and transparent when needed.
3. Meet with individual team members
Get to know each team member, Allow yourself to create a sense of trust as you will know each team member better. It will give each team member the courage to communicate openly in the team as they will feel safe. It will also allow you to give each member the opportunity to raise issues and and share concerns that they might have that goes beyond the scope of the team. That allows you to address these issues before it becomes bigger issues.
4. Conduct team-building activities
Conducting team-building activities can be helpful for bringing team members together in ways that aren’t necessarily focused on work. Team-building activities often consist of fun, brief games or activities such as scavenger hunts, trust games and sharing games. Team members can participate in these activities by themselves or on a team, and they often provide an outlet to speak freely and get to know other people on the team in a fun, safe and professional environment.
5. Encourage collaboration
Encouraging collaboration among team members can help them feel more comfortable with you and each other. While collaborating, people might grow more comfortable with each other and learn to work with each other in an efficient and effective manner. Encouraging team members to complete tasks together or work on their individual tasks at the same time can also help them build relationships
6. Develop a Growth Mindset
Be honest and open about your own failures. Be vulnerable. If you made a mistake, take responsibility and deal with the consequences.
This shows team members that you are open to feedback and willing to learn from your mistakes. Foster a growth mindset where failure is part of the learning process.
7. Celebrate and Appreciate!
Showing appreciation will help your team members to feel save and appreciated. Has to be honest appreciation for real output and the value of their contribution. That can help you to develop positive relationships that will encourage trust in the team and high productivity.
Celebrate milestones and success. It gives the team an experience of direction and shared success. Develop a culture of how you celebrate the successes – eat a donut, ring a bell. It develops camaraderie and helps to track progress in a clear way. Celebrate as a team – if it is a individual’s success the team celebrates – it also helps with motivation and helps even higher achievements.
Building team trust can take time … it is worth every second as trust in a team can improve the team’s ability exponentially. It doesn’t happen overnight, it takes time,
Be patient, stay focused.
Build trust and enjoy the amazing results.
