3 Building Trust

The previous section of this module included many suggestions from Charles H. Green, on how to improve trustworthiness through each element of The Trust Equation. Here are some other ways to build and improve trust within a team:

Lead by example 

Consider the impact that we each have on each other. In a group project, a team culture can quickly become established; this can be positive or negative. If you are the first person to share that you are struggling with course material, for example, it becomes easier for others to share.

(Mindtools, n.d.)

Look at your group as people 

This may seem obvious, but consider the impacts of online, asynchronous courses, where you no longer see the faces of your team members. It can be easy to forget that a name on a screen is someone who may be just like you, with their own agenda, schedules and personalities. When completing an online course, ensure that you follow instructor’s recommendations to have your camera and microphone on. If you aren’t able to do this in class, try your best to do it in your group meetings; this makes connecting so much easier! Whether in person or online, try not to lose sight of the fact that everyone else in your group is also an individual who is experiencing highs and lows, just like you. See Module 3 for more information on the role of empathy in understanding others.

(Mindtools, n.d.)

ACTIVITY – Getting to know your team 

Try brainstorming some ways that you can get to know your team more. For example, some institutions have a course website where you can check out your classmates’ profiles. At KPU, Moodle provides a “Participants” list for each course. Here, you can find your group members and (depending on their settings), you can find their contact information, a list of their other courses, and an “About Me” section. This could be a useful tool. You may notice that you are enrolled in another course together, or you may even see that a teammate has a very heavy course load.

If possible, take a moment to use your institution’s course website and find out more about your classmates. Then, review your own profile and privacy settings, consider what you are comfortable sharing and what you might want your classmates to know about you.

Intentionally Build Relationships 

It may be unreasonable to expect you to become best friends with your groupmates. However, there are still many reasons it may be important for you to get to know them. Studies show that performance increases when there is socialization occurring within a group (Zak, 2017). As students, you likely have a lot in common with your group members. To develop relationships, you could dedicate 5 minutes of meeting time towards “social time” where the team can discuss whatever they want.

(Zak, 2017)

Avoid placing blame 

Sometimes, things go off the rails. In some cases, this could be the direct result of one person’s actions. However, dwelling on this fact is unproductive, and making that individual feel bad does not accomplish a lot. Try using an expression like “moving forward…,” or use passive voice to avoid placing blame. For example, if a team member missed a citation in your report, you could point it out by saying to the team “I noticed there are some missing citations in our report. Moving forward, let’s make sure that we double check our referencing practices”. Passive voice could go something like this: instead of saying “Jamie missed a citation in our conclusion paragraph,” you could say “a citation was missed in our conclusion paragraph”.  This approach allows the group to begin resolving issues, instead of focusing on placing blame. 

(Mindtools, n.d.)

Discuss Trust Issues 

Whether from a past work or past school situation, some of us may have some form of trust issues. Take a moment to consider your own experiences in school specifically. Have you ever felt that a teammate betrayed your trust during a group project? Perhaps they promised to complete a section of an assignment by a certain date, and then failed to follow through. More severely, perhaps you trusted them to demonstrate academic integrity, but then found out that they plagiarized a section of the project. The experiences that each of us have, especially the negative ones, stick with us. If you’ve had your trust betrayed in the past, this may influence how you approach a new group. Consider sharing your past experiences and trust concerns with your new group, and make a proactive plan on how you can prevent a similar experience in the future. If your instructor doesn’t assign a group “charter” as part of your assignment, make one anyway to use within your group, and include this in it.

(Mindtools, n.d.)

Provide Recognition

Sometimes, it can feel like you only ever hear negative feedback on your work in school. But think about how it makes your feel when someone recognizes you for a job well done. Giving recognition to your team members for their work shows them that you see have seen their time & effort, and that you see the value in their contributions. Feeling valued within the team is important for effective group work!

(Zak, 2017)

Allow Various Working Styles 

If you have had negative experiences in group projects where work was disorganized, incomplete, lackluster, etc. you may have learned to now create rigid structures or try to control the project as much as possible. However, to build trust, it’s important to ensure each group member has the freedom to complete their work in the way that works for them. This demonstrates that you trust them, and their working methods. Instead of focusing on how work is completed, try focusing on when it is completed and to what standard. Setting interim deadlines within a group is helpful for this.

(Zak, 2017)

Share Information Transparently 

Another important way to build trust within your group is to stay in touch. This is very important online, when you may not see your team in a physical classroom. Consider providing progress updates to your team, or sharing your concerns or issues. Also, ensure there are detailed meeting notes kept from team meetings for any missing members. You can also stay connected on topics outside of the group project. For example, if you notice a group member has missed a lecture in your shared course, you could let them know any important updates or course material that an instructor shared.

(Zak, 2017)

Embody Fairness

The perception of fairness is very important to building trust. Think about your personal actions and group norms. When allocating work, or providing feedback to one another, is everyone in the group treated equally?

(Zak, 2017)

ACTIVITY – Methods to Improve Trust 

Try answering the question below to check your understanding. 

OPTIONAL Viewing – The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

This book, authored by Patrick Lencioni, describes five common pitfalls noticed in team dynamics. Although it has it’s critics, it still presents a model that invokes thought on team dynamics. Unsurprisingly, the book presents “absence of trust” as the first dysfunction of a team.

If you’re interested, check out this video summary of the Five Dysfunctions:

REFERENCES

Brownlee, D. (2019, Oct 20). 5 Reasons Why Trust Matters On Teams. Forbes.  https://www.forbes.com/sites/danabrownlee/2019/10/20/5-reasons-why-trust-matters-on-teams/?sh=2f41b422d605

Jaffe, D. (2018, Dec 5.). The Essential Importance Of Trust: How To Build It Or Restore It. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/dennisjaffe/2018/12/05/the-essential-importance-of-trust-how-to-build-it-or-restore-it/

MindTools. (n.d). Building Trust Inside Your Team: Ways to Improve Team Cohesion. https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/building-trust-team.htm#:~:text=One%20way%20to%20build%20trust,family%2C%20or%20about%20their%20hobbies.

Zak, P. J. (2017, January 1). The Neuroscience of Trust. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2017/01/the-neuroscience-of-trust