Trust

Trust is one of the most essential elements of team building. Trust provides a sense of safety that empowers teammates to take risks, speak transparently, and make decisions quickly. Without trust, group members fall to one extreme or another by either over- questioning or failing to question teammate’s ideas. Employees may not volunteer insightful observations, necessary criticisms, or innovative ideas if these group members fear the ridicule or apathy of peers.

Non-trusting team members act independently, sometimes at the group’s detriment. Teammates who lack faith in peers waste time double or triple checking coworker’s contributions. Not to mention, mistrust breeds low employee morale.

Establishing trust within teams enables workers to propose and challenge creative ideas, and leads to improved relationships and higher employee retention.

To foster trust, you can facilitate team bonding with activities like icebreakers. Teams depend on every single member to meet deadlines, complete work, and fulfill promises. You should hold team members accountable for shares of the work, and encourage teammates to ask for help when needed instead of failing to follow through.