Trust is one of the fundamental building blocks of group work. Lack of trust can be a potential hindrance to group formation and performance. Low trust may lead to conflicts and eventual dissolution of the group. In today’s age, where most of office work is done in teams, building trust in teams is essential.
Work teams would typically involve individuals coming from different cultures and backgrounds. Hence, they would bring their own judgments, prejudices and biases to the table. This is inevitable and normal. However, if the team members trust each other, work and performance will not be hampered by such implicit attitudes.
9 ways to build trust in teams
Selection of members
It is wise to have diversity in the team because it will improve output. However, it is also essential to look beyond surface-level factors. Having an equal distribution of males and females in the work team may not be of nay use as they have homogeneous skills and knowledge. Team members need to have complementary skills so that they rely on each other for their work. If all of them have the same set of skills and knowledge, they are likely to get stuck in complicated tasks which will hamper the process of building trust in the team.
Empathy
As a team member, you need to try to empathize with your team members’ problems. If they appear disturbed or stressed talk to them. Ask them if you can help them in any way. This will foster feelings of trust. It will also create an environment of support and friendship.
Do not gossip about your team members
It is normal and natural to be agitated and frustrated with our team members once in a while. You may wish to vent out your feelings of anger to someone for the sake of mental peace. However, you need to be aware of the boundaries. If you gossip in office, your image will be negative. Your co-workers will not be able to trust you because they may feel that you would sing about their issues to someone else.
In case you want to vent out, consider sharing with someone who does not work in the same organization. An old friend or family member may give you the best advice.
Communicate
The role of a proper communication channel in a team cannot be stressed enough. You need to know how to express agreement as well as disagreement. Do not keep your thoughts inside till they burst open. In addition, give honest feedback to your team members. Do not hesitate to praise or criticize. The golden rule of feedback is that you praise in public and criticize in private.
Do not be too controlling
The feeling of control in the workplace is an important factor for developing intrinsic motivation in the workplace. If you take up all the control and try to micromanage your team, it will backfire. This is because no one likes to be told what to do. People like to make their own decisions and work in their own way. Hence, you need to learn to work and let work. Give breathing space to your team members. This will help in building trust in the entire team.
Stick to deadlines
An important element of building trust in teams is accountability. You need to show that your team can rely on you for important tasks. Do not promise a deadline unless you feel that it is realistic. You may also wish to work on your time management skills.
Interact out of office
The context of workplace often puts stress on employees and they are not able to be themselves. Hence meeting outside office once in a while may prove beneficial for building trust in teams. It also helps create a feeling of belonging and group identity among the members. This is because they are better able to open up and talk about themselves.
Share credit
Lack of trust in teams often stems from a conflict of interest regarding sharing credit. You may feel that you should be given individual credit for the work because you have put in a lot of effort. However, it is often difficult to quantify effort in team work. Hence, accept the fact that you have to share credit with your team members even if you have done the maximum share of the work. Also remember that some other task was taken up by some other member at some point of time.
Admit your mistakes
While it is easy to compete for taking credit for good work, it is difficult to admit a mistake. Taking responsibility for a mistake is important for building trust in teams. It will make you stand out as a reliable and honest person. At the same time, also encourage your team members to do the same. There is no shame in admitting a mistake because it is humane to make errors.
Yet again, they have not been disappointed by beautifully explaining their thought here. I can not agree more as there is nothing left to say. I am speechless.