Building Trust - The Key

Last week's article was about The Power of Observation. I have concluded that article with two points:

• ?? Observation is about understanding your team and not spying on team members.
• ?? There are (almost always) quick wins that help you expedite the process of fostering team cohesion & trust building.

"Easy said! But how to do it?", you might ask. That's what we want to focus on today.

I Trust You - Not Only Words

Let me ask you this: How often have people told you that they trust you? Out of these, how often did you have the feeling that it's not true?

At this moment, I want you to reflect a bit on that. What did the other person say and how did this person act? How did you feel?

Just saying the words "I trust you" is not going to help you in any way if you don't act upon this statement. Let's first see the impact of that together. Later, I have a few tips that I found very useful.

Win-Win

Both you and the person you're dealing with are gaining from the trust that you've built.

From the other person's point of view, this person gets to learn new things, feels empowered, develops ownership, and ultimately is performing very well. This is because they know that you'll have their back at any time. ?? ??

From your point of view, you learn to delegate, you get stuff off your shoulders, you can take a vacation, and ultimately, you've developed an autonomous team that progresses in their careers. This is because they don't want to let you down and they would do anything for you. ????

Congratulations: You have developed a feedback culture where people honestly speak up if there is something not going well the same way they celebrate wins. ??? ????

And Win

Finally, the business is winning. Your team and you are getting tasks done faster, with higher quality of work, and all of that in a great environment. ??

How to build trust

While observing your team, one of the things you have figured out is what your team struggles with. Usually, there is at least one quick win.

Why is this important? Fixing a problem that is annoying your team, proves that you care about them and their struggles. You show that you listen and that it's safe to approach you to talk.

You have also understood your team, including the strengths and weaknesses of individuals. Use these to delegate tasks that help them develop by either strengthening their skills or facing their challenges and getting out of their comfort zone. When doing this, it is crucial to let them do the job. Your role is to guide and challenge them.

Lastly, disconnect with your team. What do I mean by that? Every now and then, interrupt their work for 1 or 2 minutes. Ask them about their weekend or weekend plans and joke.

Conclusion

• ? Building trust in your team and between you and your team is benefiting everyone. It's not only a win-win but a win-win-win situation.
• ? Be human and allow your team to be human. Allow mistakes and have their back.
• ? By doing this, you'll generate a work environment that no one wants to leave and everyone wants to join. Not only because it's fun, but because people learn, grow, and are performing extremely well.

Call to action

• If you are already leading a team, do you trust them?
• If you face challenges trusting your team, reflect! Why not? What are the challenges you face?
• Do you trust your leader? Why is that? What would you do differently? Did you talk to him/her about that?

I'm looking forward to your contribution and to the discussions in the comments.

Best,

Ahmed