Build Trust When You're Leading a New Team

Build Trust When You're Leading A New Team

So, you’ve just been assigned as the head of a new team. Not only do you have a new project to deliver but you also have to build a positive rapport with your new team to do it effectively.

Steve Tauber, CTO, and Mentor to Startups and Scaleups, has 3 ways that will help you earn the trust of your new team:

1. Commit and Disagree 🔐
2. Be extra transparent 📖
3. Add context in 1-1s 💬

Let’s dive in!

1. Commit and Disagree 🔐

You might have heard the phrase "Disagree and Commit"; but to build trust, try flipping it on its head. Focus on building common ground first before contradicting. Try asking: What can we all rally around? Which parts are we confident in?

Once you're committed to solving the problem together, you'll be better prepared in navigating disagreements as you've already established trust.

2. Be extra transparent 📖

• Start a kanban board in a project management tool like Trello or Notion and share it publicly with your team. • Start documenting things but keep it open-ended. Instead of "Implement 2-week sprints", say "Investigate sprint format".

This is important because any big changes or ideas need to be discussed, so before taking action, validate your ideas with the team to identify loose ends and reprioritize.

3. Add context via 1-1s 💬

A face-to-face can avoid any initial assumptions and start the relationship right.

• Take 15 minutes to share the nuances of your personality and your approach towards work. • Give the “why” behind projects or major changes and make space for questions and concerns.

Build a strong and reliable team

Being introduced to a new team and having a project to complete can get stressful.

But by committing before disagreeing, being extra transparent, and adding context in 1:1s, you’ll build trust with your team, and when you have trust it’s much easier to deliver results.