Without trust, there is no team. Without a team, the organization does not achieve its objectives (if it does, it does so inefficiently). Which organization can afford to waste resources? 

It is as clear as that, although in some organizations it is difficult to recognize it. Trust is the foundation of a cohesive and functioning team. Without trust, teamwork is impossible. And the expenditure of unnecessary resources grows exponentially (meetings, complaints, reviews, procrastination, subgroups, etc.).

In a nutshell, trust in a team refers to confidence in the intentions of the other members, so that everyone feels comfortable and is allowed to be vulnerable, ask for help and accept input to move the team towards the common goal. Trust allows for productive discussions and compromises, where each member exercises and demands accountability for the outcome.

At the organizational level, the generation of trust depends on the order and balance of the team as a system. In an orderly system, the functions necessary for it to perform are clearly defined and each role is associated with a certain responsibility and, consequently, hierarchy. Within this framework, each member must feel that what he/she contributes to the system and what the system gives back to him/her is in balance, understanding that this is a qualitative and subjective assessment. If each member feels that he/she is in the right place and is recognized in his/her role by the other team members and by the leader for the value he/she contributes, the feeling of belonging increases. Belonging and recognition boost confidence to contribute to the team, increasing its efficiency.

In this framework, the leader is crucial in that he or she must learn to manage relationships to establish trust, include and recognize members, and communicate assertively and objectively. Likewise, the leader must have the ability to organize, not from the hierarchy, but in search of efficiency to achieve results with the least possible effort and speed. This involves generating balanced and orderly relationships around each team member in his or her role and assuming and granting responsibility. In addition, it is necessary that the team perceive that the leader’s decisions are in favor of the team and the global objective, beyond intermediate or personal objectives. Likewise, the leader, as a confidence booster, shows his own vulnerability and favors a work environment for it.

For their part, team members must be predisposed to cultivate and maintain trust and trust each other completely.  Teams where members trust each other admit their mistakes, devote time and energy to important issues, accept and offer apologies without hesitation, and work efficiently toward the outcome without power struggles.

In many organizations trust is already an asset that needs to be exploited as a lever for efficiency. In other cases, trust is such that it turns into “good vibes” and it loses its effectiveness since nobody is willing to break this feeling. At the other extreme, in some organizations, the lack of trust is such that each area works isolated from the others and in favor of personal objectives, where it is difficult to yield in favor of the overall objective. 

What level of trust is your team/organization at?