Team Engagement Journey > Team Engagement Toolbox > Building Trust

Building Trust

A FAMILY TOOL: BELONGING & INTIMACY

Many teams know that trust is the foundation for a high-performing team, but few teams know how to actively build trust within a team. This tool will guide your team to build trust.

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Purpose

This tool helps teams build trust in practical, measurable ways.

Typical scenarios

  • You want to become a high-performing team
  • Trust within the team is low
  • Accountability within the team is low (usually due to low trust)
  • Relational bonds in the team are under pressure

Why this is important

Trust within a team is foundational for cohesion and peak performance. However, many teams have no idea how to go about intentionally building trust, or restoring trust if it is broken.

The process

Steps for building trust

Trust must be built, it can’t be assumed, and it doesn’t just happen over time. It must be intentionally developed, and the process can be accelerated if the team focuses on the right actions.

According to Dr Stephen Covey, we can think of trust like a bank. The more deposits the group makes the bigger your bank account gets (and the more stable your team environment becomes), but the more you withdraw the less effective your team will be. The danger is that one big withdrawal can deplete the entire trust bank account, and then trust will need to be slowly built again over time.

Integrating the 4 C’s as a framework and Dr Covey’s theory of the emotional trust bank, Aspire developed the following framework for managers to pick out key areas to either make deposits or withdrawals. Use the framework below to build trust within the team.

Saying, “I trust that person” can mean many things. Does it mean I trust that person’s integrity? Does it mean I trust that person’s skill? Does it mean I trust that person’s decision-making ability? Does it mean I trust that person’s commitment? Different areas contribute to the trust built with others, which we’ve structured under Character, Commitment, Connection and Competence.

Character

Can I trust your character? Are you living an integrated life? Can I trust your integrity? Character is about acting in a consistent, values-driven manner which reassures everyone in the team they can rely on their fellow team members as well as the leader of the team. Character is about being honest in your dealings within and outside the team. Character is about building moral authority. 

Commitment

Can I trust your commitment? Can I trust that you are committed to the purposes of the team and the company? Commitment is about the passion for the team objective. Commitment is about knowing where you are going and creating assurance that people will follow where you go. Commitment is also about the passion to learn and grow and constantly push yourself to improve. 

Connection

Can I trust your connection? Can I trust that you genuinely care about me and others? Connection is about demonstrating care and concern for fellow team members and knowing the team has “got each other’s back”. It means being accountable to your fellow team members and being responsive to the needs they have. This is supported by good communication skills. 

Competence

Can I trust your competence? Can I trust your abilities in the work that you deliver? Can I trust your quality and effectiveness? Competence is about proving to be able to execute what is required and at the standard it is required. Do you know how to get the job done? Do you have the skills to make things happen? When I am overwhelmed by a task at hand, can you step in and assist? 

As a team, select 4 – 5 trust deposits from the spreadsheet below (also downloadable) where you want to focus on building trust.

For each trust deposit selected, decide on an action step that you will take as a team to build trust. Use the Achieving Milestones tool to assist you in coming up with a great action plan which will ensure these trust deposits are built into your operations.

Building Trust Example Deposits

DEPOSITS WITHDRAWALS
CONNECTION
BEING VULNERABLE: Trusting others even when risk is involved  SELF-PRESERVATION: Withholding trust because risk is involved
GENUINE CARE: Showing respect and kindness in the little things UNKINDNESS: Not having respect for what is important to others
SHOWING LOYALTY: Giving credit where credit is due and being loyal to the absent DISLOYALTY: Not acknowledging the contributions of others, gossiping about them when they’re absent
LISTENING FIRST: Listening before you speak and not making assumptions UNWILLINGNESS TO LISTEN: Assuming you know what is best for others without consulting and listening to them
CHARACTER
HONESTY AND OPENNESS: Telling the truth and demonstrating integrity DECEITFUL BEHAVIOUR: Distorting the truth and spreading rumours
CREATING TRANSPARENCY: Being genuine, open and authentic, not hiding information MANIPULATION: Purposefully withholding information to further your own agenda
HUMILITY: Righting wrongs, apologising and make restitution. Doing the right thing. PRIDEFUL BEHAVIOUR: Not admitting mistakes, correcting mistakes or asking for forgiveness.
COMPETENCE
IMPROVEMENT: Continually improve yourself  PASSIVITY: Making no effort to further develop yourself
DELIVER RESULTS: Deliver the work are responsible for at a high standard INATTENTION TO RESULTS: Failure to meet deadlines or deliver results at the required standard
COMMITMENT
TAKING OWNERSHIP: Practicing accountability, take responsibility for results, communicating clearly LACK OF OWNERSHIP: No accountability, avoiding responsibility for results, unclear communication
CLARIFY EXPECTATIONS: Reveal, discuss and validate expectations UNCLEAR EXPECTATIONS: Failing to pin down specifics for meaningful accountability
CONFRONT REALITY: Meet issues head on; address difficult things directly IGNORING REALITY: Focusing on side issues while avoiding the real issues

Download resources

DOWNLOAD THE PDF
DOWNLOAD THE EXAMPLES SPREADSHEET
DOWNLOAD THE ACTION PLAN SPREADSHEET