Trust in teams: why it matters, and how you build it

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In today's issue, we're going deep on trust.

I'm a big believer in trust as the real currency of business.

I've talked about it often, and a recent tweet started some great conversations in the comments & DMs:

Teams will never reach high levels of performance if there's no underlying trust.

Simon Sinek has a great clip that explains why trust is so important. In his work with the Navy SEALs, he learned that they select recruits based on trust over performance.

You probably won't be going to war on your next project, but if the highest-performing organizations select like that - you should pay attention.

The problem with trust is that most think it's either there, or it's not. Turns out, this is not true. You can develop trust just like you can develop a skill. If you do it in an authentic and intentional way, you encourage others to do the same.

Let's break it down:

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Everything comes down to trust

Trust can be built in an authentic way. This is explained by the trust equation, developed by David Meister. In the equation, you are perceived as trustworthy if the sum of your (credibility + reliability + intimacy) exceeds your self-orientation.

In other words: you build trust with a combination of credibility, reliability, and intimacy, and you break it down by being selfish.

I first ran into David's equation as part of training at McKinsey, and it's part of their onboarding curriculum. Why? Because it makes something intangible very concrete.

Let's break down the elements one by one, so you can start building trust. Not only to be trusted yourself, but also to model the behavior you'd like to see in your teams.

Credibility

Do you have the skills and knowledge to be considered an expert in your field? If not, no problem - as long as you don't try to fake it. What can you bring to the conversation to show that you know what you're talking about?

You can raise your credibility with:

• Previous results

• Endorsements or referrals

• Degrees, certificates or titles

• Experience & traction in your field

Reliability

Your reliability is reflected through your actions. You're judged on what you do, not what you say. Give people the feeling that they can count on you. Do as you promise, and keep their information safe.

To demonstrate reliability:

• Be on time

• Communicate clearly

• Do what you said you would

• Make yourself fit in with the team culture

Intimacy

The closer people feel to you, the deeper the relationship can develop and the stronger the bond gets. Appropriate intimacy is what takes a relationship beyond transactional. It's what makes you human.

To raise intimacy:

• Create safety

• Find common ground

• Be authentic & intentional

• Open up or ask about (appropriate) private things

Never forget: humans connect with humans. Drop the facade.

Self-orientation

Self-orientation refers to your focus on your own needs, goals, and desires. Everyone has this, but the amount matters. For some, this develops into putting themselves first - ahead of others or the team.

It doesn't take a Ph.D. to realize that this is the exact opposite of what you want in a team.

Lower your (perceived) self-interest through:

• Showing genuine interest in others

• Align your incentives, get side-by-side ASAP

• Put other people in the spotlight, make it about them

• Be supportive, but ask for help more than you give advice

The trust equation in practice

The top parts of the equation add up. What this means in practice, is that you can make up for lower reliability with high intimacy and credibility.

A personal example: someone I work with is often late. She gets away with it, because I know she'll run through a fire for me if needed. The reliability is low, but the sky-high credibility & intimacy make up for it.

Below the line, you find self-orientation. This can't be compensated in any way: if it's all about you, you won't be trusted. People see this. They smell it. The BS radar goes off, and you're done.

Back to my previous example: if our relationship was all about her, her work and her success, I'd never let her get away with being late. Even if she was extremely reliable on top of her high credibility & intimacy, I'd never trust her.

3 resources if you want to learn even more:

1. Simon Sinek on performance vs trust in the SEAL teams

2. The trusted advisor by David Meister - David created the trust equation and explains the details in this great book.

3. Patrick Lencioni's 5 dysfunctions of a team - this is one of my all-time favorite business books, and cements trust as the basis for team performance.

Putting it together

Trust is the real currency in business, and it forms the base of team performance. If there's no trust, forget about all the tools & tactics - address trust first.

The next time you find yourself in a conflict, ask yourself: do we really trust each other?

Think about the strength of the underlying relationship. Is everyone perceiving each other as credible, reliable, and is there enough intimacy? Or is it ruined because someone is being selfish? Find what element is missing, and experiment with building it up.

Your role as a leader is to model the right behavior, and give feedback where you see room for development. Slowly but surely, you'll build a rock-solid team, and performance will skyrocket.

Final tip: if this is an issue in an existing team, have an open conversation about it. It's a risky play, but you'll see quickly who is committed and who is not. Be vulnerable, lead by example, talk through this framework and give yourself feedback in public. Be prepared to mediate and have some 1:1 conversations afterward.

Let me know how it goes, or reply if you have any questions!

That'll do for this week - until next Tuesday!

Cheers,Jasper