Trust. One of the most elusive, and impactful differences between teams that perform at a high level, and those that simply hope to. How can you, as a leader, build a solid foundation of trust within your team? It goes well beyond simply saying it’s a safe space for the team. It’s about actually making it safe.
In leadership workshops I lead, I often ask participants to rate the level of trust within their team on a scale of 1 to 10. With just one catch. No “7’s” allowed. I can see the sense of unease set in quickly, because the safest score to give, particularly when trust may be a little shaky, is the good old middle of the road 7. Removing the 7, we start to unearth the opportunities to build more trust.
As a leader, what can you do to instill a foundation of trust? Here are 5 things to consider:
- Articulate Your Values
Great leaders clearly articulate both their own individual values, and those they expect of their team. This goes beyond words on a wall. If “honesty” is a core value, ensure it’s backed up with behaviors. (“We use facts to lead discussion, and challenge ideas rather than individuals.”) As you engage with your team, celebrate and reinforce when values are lived to create a clear, predictable set of conditions your people can rely on. - Role Model Vulnerability
It’s not enough to simply say that your team meetings are a safe space for people to open up. As the leader, you need to role model this vulnerability. I remember our HR team guiding me through a feedback exercise with my executive team shortly after I began leading adidas Canada. One piercing insight I heard – my team wanted to know when I was mad, frustrated, happy, annoyed. I was working so hard to be stoic as the leader that I wasn’t letting any of my emotions show. Teams need to see their leader role model authentic, vulnerable leadership before they truly believe it’s safe for them to do the same. - Clarify Roles & Goals
When teammates aren’t clear on what positions they’re expected to play, or how to score a goal, trust never finds its footing. Lack of clarity increases overlap, insecurity and rework. Instead, dig into the details and remove grey zones. Wrestle the persistent roles and responsibilities gaps to the ground so that everyone knows who owns what. Create and communicate clear, measurable goals that the team can align around. Once your team knows who owns what and how you’re keeping score, they can start to focus on their areas of ownership, and trust their peers to do the same. - Embrace Conflict
When a dissenting opinion or uncomfortable question is tabled by someone on your team, embrace it, don’t shy away. I love to observe team leaders in my workshops when the first “inconvenient truth” is cast onto the table. Your team is watching you. They may even be testing you by throwing out a little, uncomfortable truth to see how you respond. Do you acknowledge it? Ignore it? Change the subject? Or do you get curious, dig deeper, and engage others to explore it fully?
Trust is built when your team feels, instinctively, that it’s safe to speak the most uncomfortable thoughts and have them be heard. As awkward as it may feel to wade into the muckiness, that’s where you may need to go to build a footing of trust for your team. - Create Space for Failure
Many companies and leaders tout their belief in ‘failing fast’ – where do you land in actual practice? When someone on your team falls short, or the team misses a goal, what’s your first response? Are you able to separate out the how and the what? Maybe there’s a way to celebrate the approach, the way values were demonstrated, while also acknowledging the end result. Maybe there’s a chance to debrief and identify the missteps to avoid a repeat performance.
Leaders need to walk a fine line with failure. Too soft of a response, and you may be lowering the bar for future. But lash out in anger or frustration, and you may be building a culture of fear where people play it safe to avoid your ire.
Trust is an elusive yet essential ingredient to get your team delivering at the highest level they can. Be mindful of the way you articulate the values you expect to see from your team, and reinforce them in the moment. Role model the authenticity and vulnerability you’re asking others to exhibit. Remove the grey in roles & goals so everyone can focus on their piece, and trust others to do the same. Embrace dialogue and conflict to ensure you’re hearing the truth, even when inconvenient. And be mindful of how you respond to failure to ensure that even a miss doesn’t hold the team back from coming back to try again.
Trust isn’t built solely with your words. What you do speaks greater volumes for your team.
