Teaching Teams New Tricks

The secret to a top-performing team? Trust.

In order to build effective teams, you must build trust within the team. Trust is the essential foundation for team success.

When the team trust each other, it provides a sense of safety. The team is more effective and efficient. Being a part of a cohesive group, means each individual can become more comfortable, taking ownership of their responsibilities, communicating more effectively and being more productive, ultimately becoming stronger as part of a team.

Leaders often believe that trust should be a given, however, it is something that must be earned. Your actions will speak louder than words, so in order to create or improve trust, there are some things that need to be done.

Communicate

Communication is the key to trust in any relationship. Keep your team updated regularly, be open and honest. Your employees want to know what is happening, wholly and completely.

Remember, communication goes both ways. Your team also want to feel heard, so make sure you are listening. When the team feel they can share honestly, it can lead to better ideas and higher productivity.

Don’t play the blame game

It is human to make mistakes, but blaming your team for them leads to lower morale and undermines trust. Treat every mistake as a learning opportunity. Use innovation and start working outside your comfort zones to come up with new solutions. Encourage the team to be constructive and work towards solutions, together.

Be Clear

Each employee should know their role and have a clear understanding of the roles of others within their team. It allows individuals to take ownership of certain tasks. Make sure your Job Descriptions. Employee handbooks and Policies are updated and shared.

Lead from within

Be visible and accessible to your team. Let your team get to know who you are behind your title as leader of the team. When your team sees you making decisions and leading from a place of visibility, they are more likely to share their challenges with you. Obstacles can be overcome quickly and effectively.

Value People

People notice when you make decisions based on valuing your people. Treat your team with respect, empathy and support. This gives a sense of security, community and purpose. Treat them as individuals and recognize their unique strengths. Allow them to show their creative side and give them opportunities and freedom to explore ideas. Focus on your people and the energy within the team. Value your people as individuals and allow them to show you how great they can be.

Walk the Talk

Team members are always watching your actions, mostly without conscious thought, but they will notice what you do and decide if they can trust you based on your actions. You can not build trust within the team if you do not demonstrate the behaviors of a trust-worthy person. Follow through on any promises you make and lead by example.

Take Responsibility

You may be the leader, but you are still human and you will make mistakes. Own up to them. Let your team know that you made an error and be open and honest about it. Taking responsibility for your own mistakes allows other to follow suit. It makes it easier to get through these mistakes and find solutions.

Be Human

Be personal and communicate honestly. Avoid corporate jargon, instead, actively listen to your team. Communicate naturally, you do not always need to be formal. Be vulnerable with your team and spark trust through simply being you.

Ask and Listen

Check in with your team. Find out how they are doing, on a team and an individual level. When you check in, make sure you listen. Allow people to be comfortable with giving you feedback. Give them a chance to be heard without judgement and act on feedback where appropriate. Getting a ‘temperature check’ of the team allows you to spot any issues early on.

Be Open and Transparent

Be honest with your team. Don’t hold things back. The more that your employees know, the more in sync they will be with the direction of the team and the business as a whole. Answer their questions honestly and completely. Employees view transparency as a right, so deliver clarity and transparency wherever you can. Demonstrate integrity and your employees will trust you more.

Building trust isn’t always easy, but if you practice what you preach and communicate honestly and effectively, a culture of trust will grow. It is not something you can do once and expect trust to always be there. Continue working on building trust by committing to open, frequent and transparent communication. Deal with your teams on an individual and personal level, displaying a willingness to talk openly, and listen actively. This will help create a truly trusting environment and a successful team.