Fanning the Charcoal Fire: Aligning Trust with Team Expectations

What makes a team thrive? Is it the skills of its members or the strategies they deploy? These matter, of course, but the foundation of every successful team is trust. Without it, even the most talented individuals will struggle to work together effectively. How can leaders ensure trust aligns with the expectations they set for their teams?

This question came to life for me during a recent town hall at one of the nursing homes in an organization I was volunteering with. As the chairperson, I was expected to give the opening remarks to set the stage for some difficult but necessary changes I was about to announce. The session was called to address a significant workforce realignment—a reduction in the staff-to-resident ratio. It was a necessary adjustment to align with industry benchmarks, but it also meant asking staff to take on more responsibilities or manage their time differently. We anticipated apprehension in the room. Many would be asking, “How will this work? What is the organization doing to support us?”

During the planning phase, the initial communication approach seemed clear. The original script focused on facts: the financial deficit, the need to align with industry standards, and the importance of everyone contributing to sustain operations. It was logical and factually accurate. However, as we reviewed it, my team and I felt it lacked warmth and didn’t address the human side—the efforts the organization had made to support its staff and how these changes aligned with our shared mission.

We reworked the script into a second version that highlighted the organization’s efforts to support the staff. We emphasized competitive salaries benchmarked against industry standards, outlined allowances and benefits introduced over the past year, and stressed our commitment to staff welfare. It felt more balanced and fair, but we sensed it still lacked a deeper connection to the culture and purpose of the organization.

Finally, we created Version 3. This time, we reframed the conversation entirely. I opened with a question: “What makes you proud to be part of this organization?” This simple yet powerful question shifted the focus from logistics to purpose. I followed with, “What would it take for our organization to be a place you continue to feel proud of?”

From there, I spoke about reciprocity—the idea that a great workplace isn’t just about what the organization provides but also about what each individual contributes to its culture. Only after setting this context did my senior colleagues delve into the details of the realignment during the rest of the session.

This experience reminded me of Patrick Lencioni’s The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive. Lencioni identifies four principles that drive effective leadership:

• Cohesive Leadership Team: Trust among leaders, built on vulnerability and openness, sets the foundation for team success.
• Organizational Clarity: Leaders must define and communicate the organization’s purpose, values, and priorities with precision.
• Over-Communicating Clarity: Important messages should be reinforced consistently through repetition and action.
• Aligned Human Systems: Systems like hiring, performance reviews, and rewards must align with the organization’s goals and values.

The multiple communication blueprints we used during the town hall reflected the principle of over-communicating clarity. On hindsight, it was prudent to emphasize togetherness repeatedly, even if the same message was delivered across different forums and formats.

By the end of the session, the tone in the room had shifted. What began as hesitation and concern transformed into cautious optimism. The staff started to see the broader picture: that these changes weren’t just about meeting external challenges but about fostering a stronger internal culture where everyone had a role to play.

Three Tips for Building Trust and Aligning Expectations

• Start with purpose: Anchor every conversation about change in shared goals and values. Help your team connect their work to a larger mission before diving into details.
• Clarify expectations and contributions: Ensure that both organizational priorities and individual roles are crystal clear. Highlight the balance between what the organization provides and what team members can contribute.
• Communicate with over-clarity: Reinforce messages consistently across forums, leaders, and communication channels. Clarity isn’t achieved with a single statement—it’s built over time through repetition, feedback, and shared understanding. Err on the side of over-communicating the clarity of the team’s vision and goals to ensure alignment and collective focus.

Building trust is like tending to an old-style charcoal fire while cooking a pot of soup. You cannot expect the first flame to cook the meal. You have to keep fanning it—gently at first, then steadily—until the fire becomes strong enough to deliver results. Trust, like that fire, requires persistence, patience, and thoughtful care.