High-performing teams trust each other
I have a question for you.
How would you define the level of trust on your team?
As a leadership coach, I’ve done a lot of team-building work over the years.
I base much of what I do on a timeless model presented by Patrick Lencioni in his book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. In it, Lencioni talks about trust being the foundational building block for any high-performing team.
He’s not referring to predictive trust, where you’re confident in your colleague because you’ve worked together for a decade, and you know what behaviour you can expect from them in any situation.
Lencioni talks about vulnerability-based trust, which is a willingness to say things like “I don’t know” or “I screwed up.” You’re eager to say you need help or to say sorry.
When you have vulnerability-based trust amongst a team, which by the way, takes courage, you erase a lot of the ego-driven conflict and politics that happen in organizations and groups when people waste time and energy covering mistakes or flaws and pretending, they know what they don’t know.
Building trust
During the past few weeks, I’ve had two highly productive sessions with senior leadership teams that focused on increasing trust in the group and getting to know one another better.
So, how do you build that trust?
Well, as I’ve often said in this newsletter, it starts at the top.
The teams I’ve worked that have the highest amount of trust share one thing in common: a leader willing to show vulnerability. If the leader acts like they’re perfect or flawless, it’s unlikely that the people that report to them will show vulnerability with each other.
When I work with teams, I like to do a personal histories exercise, where participants answer some simple questions like “Where did you grow up?” or “Who in your life besides your parents had the most positive influence on you?”
And then they share their answers. What’s fascinating is you can have people who have worked side by side for 15 years who had no clue about their colleague’s backstory.
This exercise allows participants to practise being vulnerable with their teammates. At the same time, it enables the group to connect more deeply when they better understand the experiences or life situations that shaped their co-workers.
For example if you are the youngest of 9 that grew up in a loud, boisterous family environment, there is a high likelihood that it influences the behaviour that you bring to team meetings at work. Maybe this knowledge might help your colleagues understand why you are often the first to speak.
So, this is how I help teams get started with vulnerability-based trust. But I want to stress that as simple as these exercises sound, they need to be done correctly and in a safe environment.
I highly recommend bringing in a skilled, experienced facilitator to help you with this type of trust-building session -- whether it’s me or somebody else.
Why does trust matter?
More trust equals fewer office politics, more open communication and risk-taking, less drama and better collaboration and results.
If I don’t trust my colleague, I will hold back from saying how I really feel. And so now, my best ideas may get left on the table. Or I won’t address an issue I’m having with you to your face but instead save it for a watercooler gripe session.
Trust sounds simple because it’s one little word, but it’s not that easy.
First of all, you have to look at yourself and see how comfortable you are being vulnerable in front of others. I know that in my life, as a leader, partner, and parent, I was really at my best and had the most impact on those around me when I was truly vulnerable. But it took me years to figure that out.
If leaders are willing to share mistakes, failures or fears, it gives their teams permission to aim higher and want to achieve more without worrying about making a miscue.
Similarly, when a leader acknowledges that someone on their team has a skill that supersedes their own, it’s another way of demonstrating vulnerability-based trust. For example, if Sarah is a better speaker who understands the complexities of the product solution better than you do, let her make the big client presentation. People around you already know about her talents. It will make your team stronger.
Want to talk more about increasing trust on your team? Drop me a line.
Chris