Trust Building

Introduction:

In the late 90's it became evident in my office that some of our business processes were bogging down and creating significant delays in approving key documents. Fluctuating staffing levels, and the ever evolving legislative requirements were just a couple of the variables driving continual change in the workplace. As a result management decided that some of our processes needed to be reviewed and streamlined if possible. A consulting consortium specializing in Continuous Improvement (CI) was retained to teach staff the principles of continuous improvement, facilitate business process review and to assist with process redesign.

One Experience:

After several weeks of instruction in the principles of CI and many hours of mapping out our current business practices the design team was at the stage where we were re-designing the business processes. At this point the team began asking themselves questions like "who are we to be designing business processes?", or "Management is never going to buy into this" The team was just not used to the idea of business being driven from the bottom up. The level of concern and doubt kept mounting to the point where the team hit the wall. The consultant facilitator (Team Leader) stood up at one point and stated something to the effect:

"I can't believe the level of angst being generated by this team. I have never worked with a team that has grasped the concepts of continuous improvement with the enthusiasm you have. You have key people in this room needed to effect change, your communication with yourselves and your co-workers is stellar, your district management team has stated in writing and publicly that they are supporting and backing your efforts yet you don't believe you can make change happen. Your collective anxiety is driving the team down the road to failure. If you wish I can go to your district manager at tell her that the project has failed. The team has reached an impasse and if collectively we are not willing get past this wall of anxiety we are destined to fail. What would you like me to do?

There was a very heavy silence in the room at that point, with a significant amount of personal introspection going on. The blunt reality of failure was not a concept that competent dedicated people were willing to accept easily. After a moment or two more a member of the team stated: "Guy's we have some of the best and brightest minds in the office in this room, we know our business better than anyone else, if we can't design our business processes to work for us then who can? Somehow the wall of anxiety evaporated at that point and the team went on to see implementation of a large measure of our work.

What elements of "Trust Building" came through here?

- The Team Leader had the presence of mind to speak her feelings as did the team member.

Keep in mind also that this catharsis came at a point several weeks into this team project and that many other elements of Trust Building had been incorporated in the preceding weeks.

Elements of Team

FORMING
During forming the group’s high expectations and initial enthusiasm typically outweigh the anxiety of trying something new. Issues of inclusion and trust are paramount as the group tests itself and tries to figure out its structure. The leader gives the group directions:
Defining goals and tasks, assigning roles and developing skills.

STORMING
During the storming phase the group’s identity becomes extremely fragile. Despair, frustration, and disappointment, confusion and outright rebellion may occur as the difficulty of the task before it becomes clearer. The leader keeps the group focused on its goals.

NORMING
During norming the leader offers constructive feedback and coaches group members in their developing skills. Participants begin to trust each other demonstrating confidence, respect and support. The group takes responsibility for itself and what it needs to know and do. The team rallies around shared understandings and norms of behaviour that will guide future operations. By this stage tem members realize that unless they pull together and begin to develop more a “WE” rather than and “I” or “US and THEM” mentality, the team will be unsuccessful. They accept that they are in things together and have to sort out the problems that have surfaced and work more collaboratively.

PERFORMING
During the final, performing phase, the group becomes productive. Relationships become interdependent and collaborative and group expresses confidence in its own abilities. By this time, the leader’s role has diminished. The period of intense coaching and support has ended, although the leader continues to offer instruction and help the group complete its identified task.

Executive Summary (PDF 20KB)