Trust: The Foundation for Challenge and Growth in High Performing Teams.

One of the areas of my career that has brought me the most joy, energy, and satisfaction is building high-performing, happy, and fulfilled teams built on Trust.

I am extremely lucky to have led several of these throughout my career and remain in touch with many of them to this day. Now, as a coach and consultant, I specialise in helping leaders and teams develop high-performance strategies, using all of my experience (both good and bad) to help them create a solid and enjoyable foundation for strong performance.

The key to high performance is leadership trust, the cornerstone upon which everything else stands. It is not just a buzzword or a nice-to-have quality; it is the foundation that enables teams to reach their full potential. Even the most talented teams need trust to collaborate effectively, innovate, navigate challenges, and bring their authentic selves to work. When trust is present, it creates a culture where kindness, consistency, acceptance, and gratitude can genuinely flourish, leading to a cohesive, resilient team ready to tackle any obstacle.

Here is how I describe the different forms of trust – let me know if you think there are more.

Big Trust (capital "T") refers to a deeper, more fundamental trust in a person’s character and integrity. It’s about having confidence in who they are, their values, and their intentions. When you have Big Trust in someone, you believe in their honesty, reliability, and ethical standards, regardless of the situation. This trust is built over time through consistent behaviour, authenticity, and a proven track record of integrity. Big Trust means you trust the person at a core level, even if mistakes happen or things go wrong.

On the other hand, little trust (small "t") is more situational and task-specific. It’s about trusting someone to perform a specific task or fulfil a particular responsibility correctly. Little trust often depends on skills, competence, and past performance in similar situations. For instance, you might have little trust in someone’s ability to complete a project because they’ve demonstrated proficiency in that area before, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have Big Trust in them as a person.

In essence, Big Trust is about who someone is, while little trust is about what someone does. A person can have Big Trust without excelling at every task. Conversely, someone can be trusted with specific tasks without necessarily earning your Big Trust.

And it’s Big Trust that we as leaders need to adopt if we are to create high-performance, happy, innovative teams that consistently deliver real value. Why is this?

1. Trust Creates Psychological Safety

For teams to perform at their best and push boundaries, they must feel safe. Trust provides this psychological safety, ensuring team members can speak up, share ideas, and take risks without fear of judgment or repercussions. When individuals trust their leaders and colleagues, they know they can bring their authentic selves to work. This safety net allows for openness, vulnerability, and creativity, all critical components in any successful, high-performing team.

Kindness plays a crucial role as well. A culture of empathy and support helps build trust, showing team members that their contributions are valued and that they are respected for what they do (little trust) and who they are (Big Trust). Trust encourages team members to lean on each other, ask for help, and collaborate, knowing they have each other’s backs.

2. Trust is Built from Consistency and Accountability

Trust is also about reliability. It’s about knowing that when someone says they will do something, they will follow through. Consistent leaders who are clear in their actions, communication, and expectations build trust with their teams. This consistency drives accountability, ensuring everyone understands their roles, responsibilities, and standards.

When team members know they can rely on their leader and each other, uncertainty is removed, and a stable environment is built where everyone can thrive. Consistency creates a clear framework within which the team operates, allowing individuals to focus on achieving goals rather than second-guessing expectations. Trust, in this context, enables teams to operate efficiently and align towards common objectives.

3. Trust Enables Gratitude and Positive Reinforcement

Gratitude is a powerful tool for reinforcing positive behaviours, but it only works effectively in an environment of trust. When teams are built on trust, expressions of gratitude are genuine and heartfelt. Trust allows team members to see their efforts noticed and appreciated, creating a culture of mutual respect and recognition.

When combined with trust, gratitude has a ripple effect. It encourages team members to acknowledge each other’s contributions, creating a positive feedback loop that strengthens team cohesion. In teams where gratitude is expressed freely, individuals feel valued, motivated, and more willing to go above and beyond. Trust transforms simple acts of appreciation into powerful moments of connection and motivation.

4. Trust: The Key to Embracing Challenge

Trust is crucial for teams to handle challenges and feedback effectively. High-performing teams welcome difficult conversations, disagreements, and constructive criticism because they recognise these challenges as essential for growth. Trust is also highly personal, so team members understand how to deliver feedback to each other with kindness and respect. Trust creates an environment where challenges and feedback are accepted and expected.

In teams with strong trust, feedback is viewed as an opportunity to learn and improve rather than a personal attack. Leaders can deliver tough messages, knowing the team understands they intend to support development, not undermine it. Similarly, team members can raise concerns, question decisions, and push for better solutions without fear of reprisal. Trust removes defensiveness and fosters a culture of openness, where the collective goal is to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Consistency in how feedback is given and received reinforces trust. When teams know their leaders will approach difficult conversations fairly and respectfully, they are likelier to listen and engage. Kindness ensures that even challenging feedback is delivered with empathy and care. At the same time, gratitude helps balance criticism with appreciation so team members feel recognised for their efforts, even when there is room for improvement.

If you want to learn more about my team coaching for performance packages and how I can help you develop a high-performing and happy team, please get in touch with me for a no-obligation chat. Let's go further together.

Please look at my LinkedIn recommendations, where some of the team members from my high-performing teams have left comments.