Can we have real respect within our team if there is no trust?
Usually, if you have doubts that your team is facing a lack of trust or lack of respect, perhaps your senses are not misleading you. You can look around and you will notice the many signs that prove you have trust issues. The most common one is that the team has become surprisingly quiet recently. You don’t hear the many ideas, they usually generate, they are not spending time together for lunch or afternoon coffee, and there is the strange feeling some gossip starts going around.
Although this is a serious situation, it’s still fixable if you really hold on to your team and you are ready to invest time now, instead of losing precious moments, opportunities, and money later. Be prepared that it will take time and you need to be patient and consistent. The trust within the team should become your priority number one or this will be the biggest invisible obstacle that will sabotage your progress and success.
Here are a couple of steps that can help you cope with the lack of trust problem:
1/Make the team loud again.
Create a safe environment, where ideas can be shared openly, where all people will be heard and are expected to be vocal. Where there are no dominating figures and the whole team joins. It can be in a manner of game, in a manner of a new project they will need to work on together, or even a team building activity. People change in different environments, outside of their daily duties. Start from there and let them talk.
2/ Change the focus.
You had already identified the problem and took the first step to create a safe environment. Now it’s the time to direct the attention to the common team goal and more important to the results and the victories the team is winning together. This increases the feeling of community and starts building the team’s trust which will improve the motivation and the level of collaboration within the team.
3/ Discuss the small problems.
We are people, we make mistakes. Sometimes we hurt someone else’s feelings unintentionally. Build the team’s habit of having regular meetings to discuss the issues and the challenges they are facing. Make this a tradition, for example once a month, and keep it no matter what. At first, these meetings will be strange for the team members, but as time passes by, you will see the team bonding more and more. Facilitate those meetings not as a leader, but as a team member. It’s even better to invite a coach to facilitate these meetings. When you have nothing to discuss, then just discuss a topic outside your daily job. Enjoy this time when you will find new small details about your colleagues, about their lives, mindsets, hobbies, and fears. These small facts will place the connection within the team on a new level, as people will bond on the similarities and will be open to understanding the differences.
4/ Be transparent.
Set this mindset for yourself and be an example. Be the colleague you would like to work with. Share your thoughts, ideas, and fears openly. Cherish the successes of your colleagues and take care of your teammates, and the processes you work by. Set a nice tone and respectful communication in your team all the time without exceptions and remember – every kindness matters.
5/ Be an active listener.
When finally the team is again loud and ready to share ideas and feedback, be ready to listen to this feedback. Moreover, ask for feedback, ask for statements, opinions, and ideas. Be ready to listen to this feedback and hear what people really mean. This will give your team the feeling of ownership and they will become even more reliable for the tasks they are in charge of.
6/ Trust your team
Your team is your mirror. Their opinion can show you the direction you are looking for. Sometimes this means you will need to adjust your attitude or to change a bit your understandings. Don’t be scared. Listen to your team, trust your team, and be ready for the change.
Author: Ralitsa Toromanova
