Trust between team members is built when risk is taken. Often, a leader/team member can earn a minimal level of trust simply because of their job title. In high performing teams, trust goes far beyond that. The following story is an example of what it takes to build, or rebuild, trust.

Rich* was experiencing a lack of communication with an employee that he otherwise trusted. It was confusing to him, as was the amount of miscommunication between them.
Rich and Janine* had to get back on the same page; the company had been experiencing a lot change and unexpected losses.

With some coaching and specific next steps from me, Rich reached out to Janine. Rich spoke about the communication breakdowns he was looking to solve, some ways the changes had impacted him, and invited Janine to share her perspective. Rich reported at our next meeting, that he had received some unexpected responses throughout the course of the call, and that as he learned this new information he was better situated to be a resource to her. As they began to work more closely together again, Rich initiated some new standards around communication. Rich learned that by reaching out to Janine and asking for her help in navigating change, and hearing her perspective on it, he was showing Deborah that he trusted her insight and experience. This kind of conversation, an open exchange of views without accusation or unnecessary confrontation, builds trust. Rich was willing to risk by asking, and Janine was willing to risk by responding honestly. As a team, the trust built made them better situated to solve problems.

Building trust is crucial for any high performing team. Rich and Janine are able to accomplish more as their trust grows. If a lack of trust, or trust that has been broken, is hindering your team, Nightingale Resolutions wants to partner with you to build a foundation of trust that can propel your team forward. 

*names changed to respect privacy