An Essential for Leadership and Team Excellence
Establishing trust within the workplace not only enhances team dynamics but also fosters a culture of openness, where creativity and innovation can flourish. In essence, trust acts as the glue that holds a team together, navigating through challenges and achieving common goals with a sense of unity and purpose.
SUCCESSFUL LEADERSHIP NEEDS TRUST
I’m probably a little late to the Wordle phenomenon as I just really leaned in a few months ago. But since I started playing, I’ve solved every puzzle. Sometimes it takes 4-5 tries, sometimes only 3. However, my point is not to brag, but to share my strategy. I always start with the same word – ADIEU. And for whatever reason it guides me to success. Once I discovered I had the right foundation it always led me to a successful end.
It’s the same with leadership. If you’re going to be the type of leader that others willingly follow, you’ve got to lead with the foundation of trust. Building trusting relationships is key to successful relationships, both personally and professionally.
Throughout my career I’ve been fortunate to work with some great leaders; some of whom I would go so far as to say were gifted in many key tenets of leadership. Whenever I’m asked who was the one leader that had the greatest impact on my career, I’d probably say there was not one in particular.
One thing I discovered by either working directly alongside them or by mere observation was that there were two things these leaders all seemed to have in common – high levels of trust and a mastery of the core essentials of leadership. Their climb up the corporate ladder was marked with opportunities to not only build trust with their team and colleagues but to sustain it – even in those moments when fear and skepticism were more natural reactions among employees.
With each role and responsibility, they executed a mastery of skills that although basic, were essential in aiding in their success. While many consider skills like listening, empathy, patience, prudence, self-control, and perhaps even trust to be soft skills, these leaders consistently demonstrated them with such finesse that employees like me willingly followed them. True leadership is about cultivating an environment where trust is paramount, where leadership skills are not merely exercises in authority but acts that build a cohesive team. Leaders who embody these values not only reach their personal goals but elevate those around them, creating a culture of success and respect.
TRUST ENHANCES TEAM UNITY
When team members genuinely trust each other, it's like they've got this invisible bond that makes them more willing to take risks, share ideas freely, and back each other up, no questions asked. It's about knowing that everyone's got each other's backs, ensuring that the team operates as a united front. This unity and sense of security lead to not just achieving goals more seamlessly but also making the whole process a lot more enjoyable.
In the grand scheme of things, creating a team that thrives on trust means building a space where everyone feels like they're part of something bigger than themselves, where success is a collective achievement rather than a series of individual wins. On the flip side, without trust, a team can crumble. If team members start second guessing each other’s motives, skills, or commitment, this opens the door for misunderstandings and a lack of cohesion within the team.
In the The Five Behaviors® approach to team building, trust is key. When a team has trust, it opens the floor to real discussions, sets the scene for everyone to own their actions, and keeps everyone in line with the same goal. Trusting your team goes beyond just working well together—it's about believing in each other's intentions, abilities, and dedication. When trust is integrated into the culture of a team, it can propel the team forward with a sense of unity and purpose.
When teams work well together, it is transformational. The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team is a proven resource that introduces key concepts of teaming and facilitates a mechanism for sustained cohesiveness. Follow the link below to explore how The Five Behaviors® can positively impact your leaders and teams:
