Diving into Patrick Lencioni's classic “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” for our book club this quarter reinforced a fundamental truth: trust is at the heart of every high-functioning team. Without trust, leadership is merely a performance, and genuine business growth and job satisfaction remain out of reach. Trust transforms a group of individuals into a powerhouse team.
At our company, we have identified key attributes for A-players (Interested? Just message us!). These A-players seek to collaborate with peers who share their dedication and excellence. So, when a new team member joins, do we simply trust that they will excel?
Yes, we do—until proven otherwise by behaviors that erode trust. It’s crucial to define what trust means for your A-players, how they earn it, maintain it, and potentially lose it. Remember, trust is reciprocal.
Trust Busters: Burning Bridges
Broken Promises – Unkept promises significantly undermine trust. Each broken promise erodes the foundation of trust, and for leaders managing A-players, reliability is essential. Failing to fulfill commitments sends a damaging message that no motivational speech can counteract.
Communication Breakdowns – Like the childhood game of telephone, miscommunication is disastrous in business. Misunderstandings, lack of proactive communication, and half-truths destroy trust. Our top performers thrive on transparency. Without it, trust and respect vanish.
Inconsistency – Wavering on decisions or failing to uphold company values breeds confusion and mistrust. Our A-players embody values such as Respect in Action, Purposeful Strategy, and Innovative Learning, and they expect leaders to do the same.
Trust Builders: Building Bridges
Deliver on Promises – Commitment to promises is non-negotiable. Consistently delivering, not just in significant moments but always, shows your team that you value their efforts and share their dedication.
Elevate Your Communication Game – Trust depends on transparent, timely, and thorough communication. This means explaining the reasoning behind decisions, being upfront about challenges, and celebrating victories. Make communication a two-way street to build robust trust.
Consistency is Your Compass – Align your actions with the values you advocate. When your team sees unwavering consistency in your words and actions, they don't just follow you; they believe in you. This kind of consistency fosters an environment where trust thrives and doubts dissipate.
Trust is the currency of leadership. Without it, no matter how innovative your ideas or vibrant your vision, you're bankrupt. How do you build trust within your teams? What are your non-negotiables for earning and maintaining trust? How do you address those who undermine trust with poor behaviors? Let’s have an honest conversation about building the trust that creates great teams.
Ready to elevate your team’s performance and build unshakable trust? Contact us at StringCan Interactive and let’s start building the bridges to your success.
Work Habits & Productivity
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As StringCan's Chief Operating Officer, Sarah is a solutionist who loves to implement and enhance efficiencies for herself and the team. She strives to support and help people be their best self in and outside of work. Sarah also gets her best ideas by lounging in a body of water. Cocktail is optional. But not really.
Jay, the CEO of StringCan, oversees strategy and vision, building culture that makes going into work something he looks forward to, recruiting additional awesome team members to help exceed clients goals, leading the team and allocating where StringCan invests time and money.
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