How to Build Interpersonal Trust Within Your Team: 14 Core Tips for Global Team Leaders

“Trust is the glue of life. It's the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It's the foundational principle that holds all relationships”.

 -Steven Covey

All businesses and teams need trust to work effectively and, especially when expected to deliver outstanding results and creative problem-solving. As a global team leader, you know how important trust is, but do you know where your team stands and what steps to take to improve things?

According to PwC’s Trust Survey 2023, 79% of executives say their employees highly trust their company, but only 65% of the employees agreed.

Leaders were also asked about the top challenges in building trust. This year, "current company culture" took the first place on that list. Hybrid and remote work seem to play a part in this but there are plenty of tools that will help you overcome these challenges. 

So,what is that process like when you want to build trust within your global team (or company)? 

Building interpersonal trust within a team is a unique, multifaceted process that is markedly different when your team consists of individuals from diverse backgrounds. It requires a) consistency, b) commitment, and c) conscious effort from everyone involved. 

Since it takes active work and investment from you as a team leader and your company,  is building trust worth it?

In contrast with people at low-trust companies, people at high-trust companies report:

1. 74% less stress - Studies have shown that high workplace stress affects productivity and job satisfaction [1]. As discussed below, lack of trust in a team affects managers and team members and is one of the #1 factors for creating the psychological safety successful teams thrive on.

2. 50% higher productivity - There are many ways to boost productivity, but even when stress levels are reduced to optimal levels, productivity increases following a curve often cited as the Yerkes-Dodson law [2].

4. 13% fewer sick days - higher levels of trust also correlate with feeling more energetic and 40% less burnt out at work. [3]

5. 76% more engagement and 29% more satisfaction with their lives - these percentages come from the research by Paul Zak and were data collected in 2016 from a nationally representative sample of 1095 working adults in the US. 

So the answer to “is it worth it?” is usually a resounding yes, and you don’t have to navigate the most significant challenge for most teams and businesses alone. If you’d like help building trust within your team or organisation, reach out about working with us. To hear our best tips on how to get started, read on.

What is trust in a team?

When we talk about trust, we usually mean a belief in the integrity of the other person, people, or company. It is especially important and evident in the absence of control. 

What does a team member say about me when I am not there? What do team members do when they are not being supervised?

When we are deciding whether we can trust a person, we unconsciously assess factors including:

1. Capability/Competence
2. Intentions
3. Reputation

For your global team to thrive, it is crucial to recognise that these factors we assess are particularly culturally bound and situational. As a team leader, you have the opportunity to be a role model that the team members look up to. You get to set the right tone for the team; for that you need to develop clear practices and have cultural competence.

Why is building trust and investing in company culture becoming such a big challenge right now? 

When the initial trust assessment goes against a team member, it makes cooperation harder and slower, and you need to spend more time controlling their work. Time is a valuable resource, so the lack of trust naturally has a real financial cost, too.

Issues around trust are even more important to address on both sides in hybrid work and remote teams, often working across time zones with a lot of independence. These types of arrangements can only work for both sides if you build enough interpersonal trust.

Even if most workers now want to have at least some flexibility to work remotely, 53% of remote workers say it is harder for them to feel connected to their coworkers. In their Trust report, PwC notes: 

“As companies continue to embrace remote and hybrid work, executives should recognise the need to make culture adjustments. It’s crucial to set the tone of the organisation and make sure that employees understand the company’s values and their role in driving the company purpose.”

In the next section of this article, we want to help you start thinking about how to make those adjustments and how to achieve that change in practice.

Tips and strategies to help you foster trust within your team

Clear communication and open discussions are critical in achieving results when you want to build trust within your global team. Here are 14 core tips and strategies that will help you in achieving measurable results:

1. Open Communication:
• Encourage open dialogue where team members feel safe to express their thoughts, ideas, and concerns without fear of retaliation.
• Regularly check in with team members to understand their feelings, challenges, and feedback.
2. Leading by Example:
• As a leader or a team member, model the behaviour you expect to see in others. Be trustworthy, reliable, and as transparent as possible. 
• Admit when you make mistakes and take steps to correct them.
3. Consistency:
• Being consistent in your actions and decisions helps set clear expectations and reduces uncertainty within the team.
• Ensure that team rules and standards are applied uniformly.
4. Clear Expectations:
• Clearly define roles and responsibilities. When everyone knows what's expected, there's less room for confusion and conflict.
• Establish and communicate team goals, ensuring everyone understands their role in achieving them.
5. Active Listening:
• Listen more than you speak. Understand where your team members are coming from, and acknowledge their feelings and perspectives.
• Avoid interrupting and make an effort to understand before jumping to conclusions.
6. Feedback as Care:
• Implement regular feedback loops, such as one-on-ones or team retrospectives.
• Offer feedback in a way that shows genuine care, focusing on the issue at hand rather than correcting the person. Ask and be receptive to feedback in return.
7. Sharing Experiences:
• Team building activities, both formal and informal, can help strengthen bonds and trust among members.
• Celebrate successes together and acknowledge individual contributions.
8. Support in Difficult Times:
• Show empathy when team members face personal or professional challenges.
• Offer assistance or flexibility when possible, showing that you care about their well-being.
9. Fostering an Inclusive Environment:
• Make sure every team member feels valued and included, regardless of background, beliefs, or position.
• Encourage diverse perspectives, recognising that varied viewpoints can lead to richer problem-solving and creativity.
10. Encouraging Accountability:
    • Trust grows when team members take responsibility for their actions and deliver on their promises.
11. Handling Conflicts Constructively:
    • Address issues head-on rather than allowing them to fester.
    • Focus on finding solutions and involve the concerned parties in the resolution process.
12. Transparency:  
    • Share information freely (as far as it's appropriate in the organization). When team members are informed about decisions, rationales, and changes, they feel more included and trusted. 
13. Provide Opportunities for Growth:
    • Trust is nurtured when team members believe there's room for personal and professional growth for all. Offer training, mentorship, and opportunities for advancement. 
14. Maintain Confidentiality:
    • Keep private conversations private. When team members confide in you, they're showing trust. Breaking that confidence can quickly erode trust. 

Like trust, you can't force outstanding team performance. It is built through practices and fostering a supportive and inclusive environment. Prioritise building trust within your team to promote a more productive and cohesive team environment. But it all depends on you putting these tips and strategies into practice.

You don't have to come up with the next steps alone: we are happy to help you when you want to commit to trust-building and team growth.

Give at least some of these 14 tips and strategies a go and let us know what changes you see or what challenges arise. Reach out to us through e-mail at [email protected] , we would love to hear from you. 

You might also be interested in these articles:

High-Performance Culture: How To Improve Efficiency of International Teams Without Hiring New Talent

The key factors contributing to the performance of your international team (that actually help hit targets)

Problem solving strategies for international teams: from poor or mediocre to real value