The topic of trust in teams is often a sensitive one. Today, we want to clear up with why it is so important that you trust each other in the team and why your success depends on your team trust in the long term. Let's go:
Reason 1)
Open communication: If you have a high level of trust in the team, you are also more likely to talk openly and honestly with each other about challenges and problems without fear of judgment or consequences. This means silent conflicts are avoided, which can be detrimental to team cohesion and your healthy team dynamic in the long run. In addition, open communication will enhance your decision making, problem solving and overall team performance.
Reason 2)
Risk-taking: Through your mutual trust, you are more likely to take risks and allow for mistakes, which enables learning and growth. Without trust, team members are usually hesitant to step out of their comfort zone and try new things. Therefore, show up for who you are.
Reason 3)
Reliability: Mutual trust also strengthens team cohesion. You learn that you can rely on your team to complete tasks, meet deadlines and achieve goals. This, in turn, also strengthens your sense of belonging to your team.
Reason 4)
Increased productivity: Trusting each other leads to a more positive and productive work environment. You feel comfortable sharing ideas, giving feedback and working together to achieve common goals.
Reason 5)
Better decision making: You'll find that when you really trust each other, you'll also find it easier to come to joint decisions. This is because improved communication allows different options to be discussed and debated with each other. This in turn leads to multiple perspectives and a better quality of the final decision.
As you can see, trust is one of the foundations of any good team cohesion. In the next post, you'll learn how you can further strengthen your trust in the team.
