The importance of trust in teams

THE IMPORTANCE OF

TRUST IN TEAMS

Ros Curtis

Principal

SUNATA 12

Schools thrive on the effectiveness of teams. They have structures in place whereby teachers and support staff work collaboratively to achieve the best possible outcomes for their students. Most staff members belong to more than one team; therefore, the ability of an employee to work effectively and productively in a team is a must.

It is usually through teams that schools achieve their strategic goals. Using St Margaret’s as an example, to be an outstanding school, each faculty or department needs to be outstanding. The strength of the school is determined by the consistency of each of its parts, that is, its teams. We all know the frustrations associated with poor functioning teams and the effect that has on staff morale.

Therefore, in the recruitment process, we ask questions about contributions to the team, as we look for the ideal team player and the person with the right skills and disposition. From there, we expect all our leaders to develop strong teams. However, strong teams cannot exist without trust, and this means building trust must be the number one priority of team leaders. There is a lot of literature about leaders inspiring trust. Leaders also need to be able to trust their team members to get on with the work in a way that builds a culture of trust throughout the organisation. There is a metaphorical exercise can be done to demonstrate the dynamics of your team and encourage conversations about the importance of trust and attention to the needs of other team members.

Take your team outside, form a circle and arm at least half your team members with balls of different sizes. A few people are given a tennis ball, others a basketball, another a golf ball or cricket ball; others are given a child’s plastic ball of a medium size. The different size balls represent the tasks (all different sizes and importance) that are needed to be completed by the team. And now, we ask them to throw the ball to each other so they can catch it. Inevitably, some ‘drop the ball’; others are not paying enough attention, are a little scared of some of the ‘harder’ balls or have poor catching skills; others don’t really get into the purpose of this game and don’t participate with intent. Others try to catch people off guard, and pretend to throw a ball at someone, but actually toss it in another direction. Those who are more competitive, soon identify the unreliable catchers and, over time, some people are forced to catch a lot of balls and others rarely have a ball come their way. Other people have an unusual throwing style, but team members, with only a slight adjustment, can still manage to catch their balls. This simple physical exercise makes possible an analysis of the dynamics of the team.

Patrick Lencioni (2005) in his book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team explores the fundamental causes of team failure. He outlines five possible causes: • Dysfunction 1: Absence of Trust. This occurs when people have a fear of being vulnerable with fellow team members. • Dysfunction 2: Fear of Conflict. A truly cohesive team is one where team members are able to share and listen to different ideas and approaches and are prepared to express opinions and move on from ‘uncomfortable’ moments. • Dysfunction 3: Lack of Commitment. Cohesive teams can move forward, meeting deadlines by understanding why and how decisions are made.

• Dysfunction 4: Avoidance of Accountability. A most effective team is one where each member is reliable, completing tasks in a timely and aligned way. • Dysfunction 5: Inattention to Results. Often in teams, the pursuit of individual goals and personal status erodes the focus on collective success.

It is no accident that Lencioni lists the absence of trust as the first of his five dysfunctions. Fundamentally, the ideal team is a coherent one, which is made up of people who are reliable, kind, aligned, and focused on the purpose. This is summarised best by Sarah Keli (2022), who said the following in her article on the role of trust in creating a thriving team culture:

A team without trust isn’t really a team: it’s just a group of individuals, working together, often making disappointing progress. They may not share information, they might battle over rights and responsibilities, and they may not cooperate with one another. It doesn’t matter how capable or talented your people are, they may never reach their full potential if trust isn’t present. However, when trust is in place, everyone in the team becomes stronger, because he or she is part of an effective, cohesive group. When people trust one another, the group can achieve truly meaningful goals … Without trust, there’s less innovation, collaboration, creative thinking, and productivity, and people spend their time protecting themselves and their interests – this is time that should be spent helping the group attain its goals. The leader has a very important role here in developing a culture of trust. The goal for an effective leader is that all members of the team feel safe enough to take risks, share vulnerabilities, respect others’ contributions, rely on other team members, feel empowered and energised, and understand that they are accountable. According to Marie-Claire Ross (2022), author of Trusted to Thrive: How Leaders Create Accountable and Connected Teams, trust is the cornerstone of a team that thrives.

Ross says: 'It feels great – to both the leader and their direct reports … If you have trust as the foundation for your team environment, you can put your team anywhere and under enormous pressure, and they will thrive.'

So, how can a leader build trust? Any leadership book or article, indeed even a good google search, will provide many suggestions. Experience tells me every one of these strategies is important. Nothing can be left to chance or to sabotage. Although different authors will provide an emphasis on different strategies, all are important, and it is the complex interplay of them all that brings about trust. Leaders can help build this culture of trust in their team if they: • ensure team members have the right skill and capabilities.

If they have the authority, they need to be strong enough to remove those or redeploy those who are not as driven or committed to the work of the team.

• facilitate the work of the team members ensuring that there are few distractions. This means the role of the leader is to ensure appropriate structures, deadlines, and resources. • constantly communicate the vision, usually through stories which illustrate and inspire. • have a complete understanding of and commitment to the strategic intent, ensuring goals and expectations are communicated clearly and progress monitored. • demand fair accountability and provide clarity around expectations. • combine quality feedback which supports progress and achievement with a willingness to listen to any member of the team and adjust expectations accordingly. Kindness in this process goes a long way for feeling safe and trusted in a team. • know people in the team personally and share vulnerabilities. This includes understanding that people bring the ‘whole person’ to work, developing connection, and ensuring that they have a degree of psychological safety in their team.

• celebrate the achievements of the team and the challenge of the work being completed. Trust in a team relies on the integration of each of these practices. One is not enough to develop the kind of trust needed for people to thrive. There is nothing like a supportive team and an alignment to a purpose everyone believes in to encourage people to thrive at school. People who are empowered in their teams are energised at work and are proud of their team and their achievements.

References

Keli, S 2022, The role of trust in creating a thriving team culture, Managers and Leaders, Institute of Managers and Leaders, viewed 18 April 2022, https://managersandleaders.com.au/the-role-of-trustin-creating-a-thriving-team-culture/ Lencioni, P 2016, The Ideal Team Player, Jossey-Bass, Hobokan, New Jersey. Lencioni, P 2005, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco. Ross, M 2022, Trusted to Thrive: How Leaders Create Accountable and Connected Teams, Trustologie, Melbourne. SUNATA 13