What you say, how you say it, what you do, and when you do it are all factors influencing whether or not your teammates and coaches will trust you. Remember, your words and actions impact every practice, team meeting, competition, and social team gathering. Leaders who are not open and honest with their teammates and coaches make it difficult to build a foundation of trust and trust defines all great teams. As a leader, you play a critical role in defining and developing your "team trust". Trust is one of those concepts that all teams want but few know how to achieve. The idea of trust is closely tied to leadership in that leaders constantly find themselves in positions (e.g., conflicts to be resolved, decisions to be made, intensity and effort to be defined) whereby others are looking to them for answers. How much others trust you will determine your effectiveness as a leader who can lead by example, encourage others, and hold teammates accountable (enforce). How much your teammates trust one another will determine how they work together and hold each other accountable. In the end, team trust becomes the foundation by which successful and cohesive teams are built.
Question: How do you develop greater trust with and among your teammates?
The following ways are important for building a foundation of trust within your team:
1. "Say it... mean it... and do it."
Keep your word and be dependable. If you promise something, then keep your promise by doing what you said you would. If it's a phone call or email you promised, follow through. If you said you would stop by and say hello, do so. If you told a coach or a teammate that you would find an answer to a question they had, find the answer and report back to them promptly. When you do not follow through, those around you begin to question (and do so quickly) whether you can be trusted.
2. Speak the truth and nothing but the truth.
The truth always rises to the top. The truth is trustworthy. If you are speaking the truth... you are trustworthy. If you are not speaking the truth, you cannot be trusted. It really is that simple.
You can "fake" the truth for a short time but at some point you will be faced with speaking the truth. You may not be the most liked person when you speak the truth but you will be trusted and respected. Others will always know where you stand and they will learn to count on you for the truth in both good and bad times.
3. Go out of your way to "build up" your teammates.
Find something positive to say about your teammates. Communicate to them what you see them doing well. Build em' up, confirm their strengths, and remind them of their past successes. Show an ongoing interest in their role on the team, acknowledge their efforts, and celebrate improvements with them. When you invest your time, effort, and experiences with your teammates and coaches, they begin to see you as approachable and trustworthy.
4. Know the need and take the lead.
Understand the importance of team trust and go out of your way to develop genuine trusting relationships. Because you are in a primary leadership role on your team, most of your teammates will wait for you to develop and nurture the relationship. You cannot wait for others to approach you since many of your teammates may lack the assertiveness to do so. Most teammates want "solid" and trusting relationships, but they may not be sure what to say, how to act, or when to approach you. Strong relationships are a must. So... How is your "team trust"? You know the need... now take the lead.
"In leadership there are no words more important than trust. In any organization, trust must be developed among every member of the team if success is going to be achieved."
-------Mike Krzyzewski
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