Trust comes with moments. I love Brene Browns analogy that trust is like the marble jar. Every time someone does something that builds trust, a marble is placed in the jar. Over time it fills to the top. Sometimes they do something that makes you take a marble out, sometimes you empty the whole jar, but you choose to fill it again. It is a choice, because choosing to put a marble in again means you are willing to invest in the relationship.
Sometimes it happens fast, sometimes it takes more time. Each time someone asks how you are and genuinely cares about the answer, challenges you to be more or do more, because they care, supports you in that meeting and shows that they have your back, remembers your birthday or your kids names, all marble moments.
Now, some people are more private and introverted and may appear closed. Others might feel overbearing and insincere. Remote working can be a real barrier to building relationships. The leader often needs to create moments to share those marbles. Those team building exercises have a purpose. They are building the foundations so that when you work together on real projects, they are solid. Most of my workshops use team building discussions, activities and breakout groups to enable marble moments and develop trust.
If you aren't ready to take the team assessment, try answering the following questions as a team, but independently, then discussing the answers as a whole. I like to use post it notes virtually or in the room, with a whiteboard for each statement, then asking people to add their note on a scale of 1-10.
Team Activity
With your team go through each of the options below and select all of the statements you feel apply.
There would be more trust on our team if people:
- Reduced the amount of gossiping
- Got to know each other on a personal level
- Admitted their mistakes
- Readily apologised
- Let go of grudges
- Spent more time together
- Understood each other's working styles
- Shared professional failures and successes
- Were more forthright with information
- Would give credit where credit is due
Reflection
Now you have completed the activity above reflect on the following questions with your team:
- Which of the options was ranked as the highest?
- Has this affected the team in the past?
- Was this an issue you are aware of within the team?
- How can the team move forward from the highest ranked option?
- What can you do to reduce the impact of the highest ranked option?
- Is there anything else you can do improve trust within the team using the information you now have?
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