What are some ways to build trust with a team member who has a different work style than you?

1 Identify your work styles

The first step to building trust is to identify your own and your team member's work styles. Work styles are the ways people approach tasks, organize their time, communicate, and collaborate. There are many frameworks and tools to help you assess your work style, such as the DISC model, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, or the Kolbe Index. You can use these tools to learn about your strengths, weaknesses, preferences, and motivations. You can also share your results with your team member and ask them to do the same. This will help you understand each other's work styles and how they affect your interactions.

2 Respect your differences

The second step to building trust is to respect your team member's work style and avoid judging or criticizing them. Different work styles are not better or worse than each other, they are just different. For example, if you are a planner who likes to have clear deadlines and structure, and your team member is an improviser who likes to be flexible and spontaneous, you might think that they are irresponsible or disorganized. However, they might think that you are rigid or micromanaging. Instead of focusing on the negatives, try to appreciate the positives. For example, you can learn from their adaptability and creativity, and they can benefit from your organization and foresight.

3 Communicate effectively

The third step to building trust is to communicate effectively with your team member and adjust your style to theirs. Communication is key to any successful collaboration, but especially when you have different work styles. You need to communicate your expectations, needs, feedback, and progress clearly and respectfully. You also need to listen actively, ask questions, and acknowledge their input. To communicate effectively, you need to adapt your style to theirs. For example, if you are a direct communicator who likes to get to the point quickly, and your team member is a relational communicator who likes to build rapport and context, you might need to be more patient and empathetic, and they might need to be more concise and assertive.

4 Compromise and collaborate

The fourth step to building trust is to compromise and collaborate with your team member and find a balance between your work styles. Compromise means that you are willing to give up some of your preferences and accommodate some of theirs, and vice versa. For example, if you are a solo worker who likes to work independently, and your team member is a team player who likes to work in groups, you might agree to have some individual and some joint tasks, or to check in regularly but not too frequently. Collaboration means that you are willing to work together and leverage your work styles to achieve a common goal. For example, if you are a visionary who likes to generate new ideas, and your team member is a pragmatist who likes to implement them, you might brainstorm together and then divide the execution according to your strengths.

5 Celebrate and support

The fifth step to building trust is to celebrate and support your team member and recognize their contributions and achievements. Celebrating means that you acknowledge and appreciate their work and show them that you value their work style. For example, you can give them positive feedback, thank them for their efforts, or share their successes with others. Supporting means that you help them overcome their challenges and offer them your assistance and resources. For example, you can coach them, mentor them, or provide them with tools or tips that suit their work style.

6 Keep learning and growing

The sixth step to building trust is to keep learning and growing with your team member and seek opportunities to improve your relationship and performance. Learning means that you are open to feedback, suggestions, and new perspectives from your team member and that you are willing to change and adapt your work style when needed. For example, you can ask them for their opinions, insights, or advice, or invite them to share their best practices or lessons learned. Growing means that you are committed to achieving your goals and enhancing your skills and knowledge with your team member and that you are willing to take on new challenges and opportunities. For example, you can set SMART goals, track your progress, or pursue professional development or training together.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?