American psychologist Ron Friedman was curious about how high-performance teams build trust among themselves. Founder of ignite80, a learning and development organization for leaders specialized in creating these teams, Friedman points out that employees who trust their organizations show greater engagement, creativity and productivity. In other words, attributes that contribute to the reputation of companies.
To find out, he asked his group to conduct a survey of 1,000 employees from companies based in the United States. Studies have identified five key trust-related behaviors that differentiate these teams from other teams, as Friedman detailed in an article published in Harvard Business Review.
The five behaviors of high-performing teams regarding trust:
- High-performance teams make combinations
These teams are three times more likely to start by discussing how they will work together before getting down to business, paving the way for fewer misunderstandings and smooth collaboration in the future. That is, this way of understanding contributes to the trust, signaling respect for each other's strengths and preferences, ensuring agreements about the process and inviting team members to speak up when they see opportunities for improvement. - High-performance teams keep colleagues informed
They tend to share information proactively, instead of waiting for this attitude to come only from the leader, which promotes a culture of inclusion. More transparency provides trust, nurtures creativity, performance and profitability. - High-Performing Teams Share Credit
Rather than receiving praise alone, says Friedman, members of high-performing teams are more likely to share their accomplishments with their teammates. As a result, team members will probably feel more valued – which can generate reciprocity and contribute to increased trust between them. - High-performing teams believe that disagreements make them better
High-performing teams, the studies conclude, are more likely to believe that workplace disagreements lead to better decisions (rather than unhealthy relationships). They also assess that their colleagues are more effective at preventing disagreements from becoming personal. According to the article, these two observations are likely connected: a disagreement in the workplace can be perceived as an opportunity or a threat, and the interpretation influences how people react. In other words, among high-performance teams, considering conflict as a source of strength makes disagreement less distressing and is capable of reducing the frequency of attacks between colleagues. - High-Performing Teams Proactively Handle Stress
Members of high-performance teams interpret conflicts more adaptively and are more likely to take the initiative to resolve them. Studies show that these teams are significantly more interested in “hearing if they're upsetting a teammate” and more willing to proactively reach out if something doesn't feel right, particularly between one teammate and another. This reflects, according to the article, a tendency of high-performance teams: responding to setbacks believing that results can be improved through effort, learning and perseverance.
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