“How do you actually know if you’re on a trusting team?”
It’s a simple question that Simon asks in his recently released program for teams, Unleash Your Infinite Mindset. His virtual, self-paced program is designed to challenge you and your colleagues to think differently, communicate more openly and honestly, and build a strong and supportive culture.
According to Simon, the answer lies in psychologically safety. He explains, “It’s when you feel comfortable saying at any point, ‘I made a mistake,’ or ‘I don’t know.’ You can actually say aloud, ‘You’ve put me in a position where I feel as though I need more training,’ and you can do so without any fear of humiliation or retribution.”
It all raises the question: What can you do to help build trust within your own team?
Read on for Simon’s advice. And if you’re interested in learning more about Simon’s new training programs, including both Unleash Your Infinite Mindset and The Art of Building Fiercely Loyal Customers (taught by famed restaurateur Will Guidara, whose Eleven Madison Park was the #1 ranked restaurant in the world), click here.
The Best Way You Can Build Trust Among Your Team
The single best way to build trust among your team is to take the initiative to work on key leadership qualities as an individual. Simon emphasizes that leadership is a skill that all workers can practice, regardless of their formal position.
Most importantly, you should never stop learning. “One commonality among all great leaders I’ve ever met is that they’re students of leadership,” says Simon. “Most of us learned leadership from our leaders, coaches, or in school. When we’re early in our careers, we receive job training to excel in our roles. However, companies often make the mistake of promoting people into leadership positions and assuming they automatically know how to lead. Great leaders are always observing, studying, learning, evolving, and improving.”
Additionally, it’s important to “be the idiot.” According to Simon, “Leaders always ask the questions that everyone is thinking but no one is saying. Leaders are the ones who say it first. And if you’re willing to go first into danger or discomfort in order to push ideas forward, it communicates both trustworthiness and protection.”
Other basic human skills that can help you cultivate leadership include empathy, active listening, and being a supportive colleague. (FYI: You’ll find courses covering all of those in our Optimism Library.) However, there are less-obvious skills you can develop that you might not be aware of. One of the most important, says Simon, is the ability to read the room.
According to Simon, “Understanding leadership means having constant situational awareness. If people say things that are rude in a meeting, leaders are the ones who step in and say, ‘All right, Steve, I think we should hear from someone else.'”
Let’s be clear: You don’t have to be the most senior person in the room to do this. Simon explains, “It doesn’t have to be your meeting, and you don’t have to be the most senior person to project the authority to interrupt someone and say, ‘Alice is trying to say something.'”
By actively working on these leadership qualities, you can contribute to building trust within your team and foster a positive and supportive environment.
Want to forge a stronger bond with your team? Read more about our Team-Building Programs here.
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