The world runs on trust. You trust the traffic lights will work, the food you eat at restaurants is safe, and you’ll hear Wham!’s “Last Christmas” every holiday season. Trust is what keeps everything going smoothly.
The same can be said for employees at organizations. Whether you’re in the C-suite, a mid-level manager, or a first-time employee, you expect, and trust, that everyone will do their work correctly, on time, and without incident.
In fact, employees who trust their companies are more creative, more productive, and have higher engagement. But those who don’t trust their companies experience burnout and stress, which may lead them to quit their jobs.
How to Build Trust in a Team
Most discussions about trust focus on a top-down mentality: from managers to employees. But talking only about that is like singing a song’s melody and leaving out the chorus, which is often the most memorable part of the song!
The chorus of your organization is the relationships between teammates when the boss isn’t around.
The Crucial Role of Team Trust
A study conducted by ignite80, a learning and development company, found some interesting facts about the role of trust in high-performing teams.
For example, team members are purposeful in their collaborations. Before beginning a project, they discuss how they’ll work together and create plans for possible problems. Doing this builds trust and respect because everyone’s strengths and preferences are acknowledged.
High-performing teams are also transparent with each other. They don’t hide information from one another, instead, choosing to communicate frequently during the project. This helps create a sense of inclusion and trust.
These teams also share credit, use disagreements to help improve themselves, and proactively resolve tension. Knowing that differences are temporary and repaired makes them more likely to trust everyone to do the right thing for each other and the team.
Creating Trust Together
Building trust, though, isn’t a goal just for managers. It’s up to the team members, as well.
With SongDivision’s Team Harmony program, both leaders and teammates can create a culture of trust and teamwork together.
The “Team Cohesion” module within the program focuses on fostering team cohesion and enhancing workplace dynamics through the power of music.
For example, participants will learn ways to build stronger and more unified teams, engage in interactive activities about building trust in teams, and learn to recognize and appreciate everyone’s strengths.
Participants will learn more about their colleagues and what drives them to be their best selves. They’ll also develop a deeper understanding of team dynamics that may lead to a more supportive and thriving work environment. During the session, the group will participate in a songwriting workshop together, facilitated by our world-class, rockstar musicians.
And since the program uses music, it means increased oxytocin and dopamine levels. Oxytocin is often linked to bonding and trust, while dopamine is linked to engagement, happiness, and motivation.
As Carol Folt, president of the University of Southern California, once wrote, “Trust is hard-earned, easily lost, and difficult to reestablish.”
With SongDivision’s Team Harmony program, your teams become more dynamic and confident, your company culture grows, and your bottom line soars to the top of the charts!
Connect with us to learn how we can help your teams be more cohesive.