Trust: The Unsung Hero of Your Success Story
Linda Marshall
Author, Television Host, EQ-i 2.0 Certified Trainer, Professional Speaker (CAPS)
For relationships to be successful, they must be trusting. Emotional intelligence?and trusting relationships are paramount to personal, emotional, and professional team success. I've written more?on trusting relationships in my book, The Power of Emotion.
The Importance of Building Trusting Relationships and Why Vulnerability Is Crucial
How vulnerable are you with your team? You are about to learn the significant role vulnerability plays in building trust.?
Building trust is crucial to developing and maintaining solid relationships. It's also?the foundation of high-functioning teams.
Trust Is The Backbone Of Any Relationship
The critical elements?of trust?include:
- Having confidence in someone
- Finding them reliable
- Feeling safe, both emotionally and physically, with them
Building trust requires a certain amount of vulnerability. It also means team members should work in a comfortable environment and not need to protect themselves from one another. According to organizational health guru Patrick Lencioni,? distrust can affect morale, staff retention, and a team's overall productivity. He notes that when team members?cannot develop trust, it wastes time and energy.
The Importance Of Trusting Relationships In Team Dynamics
Lencioni explains,?"Trust lies at the heart of a functioning, cohesive team. Without it, teamwork is all but impossible."
Interpersonal relationships are roadblocks to work synergy and productivity when working with struggling teams in the workplace. When team members don't take the time to get to know each other and understand how their roles and those of their team affect each other, it can lead to "a lack of chemistry," making it challenging for the team to succeed.
While discussing trusting?relationships, it's also an excellent time to revisit this article on relationship management.?
What Role Does Vulnerability Play?
Vulnerability fosters trust within a team by creating an environment where members feel safe sharing their thoughts, concerns, and ideas. It promotes open communication, empathy, and a sense of unity, ultimately strengthening the bonds among team members. Sharing your deepest feelings, including your?fears, may be necessary to build trust. However, it's hard to share if you're concerned that sharing vulnerability may be used against?you. After?all, fear is a strong emotion and one reason many perceive?vulnerability as risky behaviour and a weakness.?But the benefits outweigh the risks.?Embracing vulnerability increases our emotional intelligence and creates a deeper connection with others. As you open yourself and share your challenges and personal struggles, you can better relate to others and expose the real you. If you're looking for?more ways to increase your emotional intelligence? Take a look at this post next.?
When Trust Is Broken…
Linda Marshall is a Toronto, ON-based?Speaker,?author,?Certified EQ Trainer,?Television Host,?and founder of?Marshall Connects.
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Check out Linda's newest book, The Power of Emotion, A Practical Guide to Making The Most Of Your Emotional Intelligence.