The Holy Grail for any organisation is to build a well-oiled team that functions cogently and cohesively to deliver results.
Towards this end, companies spend their resources on activities and exercises that they believe will bring about this team dynamic.
But over the years of training, consulting, and leadership coaching, I have realised that many of these activities are conducted in artificial environments devoid of the reality of the daily operational blind spots that companies face. If your team is plonked in a situation where they do not have their everyday "pain points" to deal with, naturally they will perform better.
Whilst teambuilding activities are important for some form of bonding and understanding of each other, the focus should always be on relationship building. Creating epiphanies that make your team understand how crucial it is for everyone to have functional relationships that are solid, is the only way forward. And, much of this rests on "trust."
"Trust takes years to build, seconds to break, and forever to repair."
Trust opens doors to opportunities and can companies grow exponentially. Trust is the foundation of any relationship, be it personal or work related. When we trust that someone will deliver their part of a promise, we tend to buck up, and deliver on our side. And, when it becomes abundantly clear that both parties need to deliver before results can be achieved, the synergy required for that relationship blossoms.
To define trust, we also need to go beyond basic considerations like being honest. A deeper version involves more of an emotional response. This includes feelings for employees such as knowing that leaders are on "their side," they will be treated fairly and with respect, and setbacks will be viewed favorably or at least not with particularly negative consequences.
So, this trust that is vital for employees comes from a leader's ability to actively demonstrate a few salient characteristics. They must be able to recognise the good work that their team members do; they need to show support; they must base decisions on transparency; they need to stay quiet when needed; and they need show and build accountability.
Recognise that building trust takes hard work
Trust must be earned. It comes from a conscious effort to walk your talk, keep your promises, and align your behaviour with your purpose and values. Building trust is worth the effort because once trust is lost, it can be very difficult to recover. Therefore, leaders must be conscious that they are being watched all the time
Be honest and supportive
Even when it's difficult, tell the truth, and not just what you think people want to hear. Understand what employees need to know and communicate facts while being considerate of their effort and being sensitive to their feelings. Showing support and understanding for your team members, even when mistakes are made goes a long way in building trust as a leader.
Be transparent
Transparency opens the door for honest conversations, collaboration, and respect. It can help take some of the mystery and skepticism out of the workplace that leads to feelings of mistrust. Consistent and regular communications should be a priority for trustworthy leaders, and the communication is best when it is timely, relevant, and focused on what employees need to know and why, so they have context. However, being transparent doesn't mean needing to have all the answers all the time. The most trustworthy leaders are not afraid of saying "I don't know, but let me find out and get back to you."
Be quiet sometimes
Actively listen and check for understanding by paraphrasing what you've heard. Use a variety of feedback tools to ensure everyone has the chance for their voice to be heard. You must engage in dialogue with employees, giving them the opportunity to ask questions, get answers, and voice concerns. Do your best to stop "talking at" your employees – they want real, two-way conversations
Build accountability
When you and other leaders acknowledge your mistakes as well as successes, employees see you as credible and will follow your lead. You can encourage honest dialogue and foster accountability by building in processes that become parts of the culture, such as an evaluation of every project (positives, negatives, things to change) or a status report and next steps in each meeting agenda (tracking deadlines and milestones).
So, work at relationship building on a foundation of trust. Ultimately, this is what builds teams.
*The write is managing consultant and executive leadership coach at EQTD Consulting. He is also the author of the national bestseller "So, You Want To Get Promoted?"