The Power of Trust: Re-engaging Your Workforce Through High-Functioning Leadership Teams

Trust is the bedrock upon which effective teams are built. Its presence fosters collaboration, innovation, and accountability, while its absence can lead to dysfunction, disengagement, and failure. In today’s workplace, where many employees feel disconnected from leadership, re-engaging the workforce starts with rebuilding trust at the leadership level. Understanding the pivotal role of trust in senior leadership teams is essential for any organisation aiming for sustained success. 

The Foundation of Teamwork: Patrick Lencioni’s Perspective 

In his seminal work, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni identifies the absence of trust as the primary dysfunction that hampers team performance. He emphasises that foundational trust is lacking when team members are unwilling to be vulnerable with one another—hesitant to admit mistakes, share concerns, or ask for help. This reluctance prevents the establishment of a safe environment where open dialogue and genuine collaboration can thrive. Without trust, teams are ill-equipped to engage in constructive conflict, commit to decisions, hold each other accountable, or focus on collective results. Re-engaging employees starts with leadership teams demonstrating trust in one another and, in turn, extending that trust to the broader workforce. 

The Economics of Trust: Insights from Stephen M.R. Covey 

Stephen M.R. Covey, in his book The Speed of Trust, articulates that trust is not merely a social virtue but a critical economic driver. He is of the opinion that as trust increases within an organisation, so does the speed of operations, while costs decrease—a concept he encapsulates as the “trust dividend.” Conversely, low trust results in a “trust tax,” where every transaction is slower and more costly due to the need for checks, controls, and verification processes. Covey underscores that trust affects two measurable outcomes: speed and cost. When trust diminishes—in a relationship, on a team, or within an organisation—speed decreases, costs increase, and employees disengage. Leaders who prioritise trust as a strategic advantage will find that they can accelerate execution, re-engage employees, and foster a culture of high performance. 

The Current Trust Deficit in Leadership 

Recent studies highlight a concerning decline in trust in organisational leadership. A Gallup report reveals that only 21% of U.S. employees strongly agree that they trust the leadership of their organisation, marking a decline from previous years. This erosion of trust can lead to decreased employee engagement, lower productivity, and higher turnover rates—key indicators of a disengaged workforce. 

Furthermore, a survey by PwC indicates a disparity in trust perceptions within organisational hierarchies. While 53% of business executives express a high level of trust in their senior leadership teams, only 38% extend that same trust to entry-level staff. This gap suggests a need for initiatives that build trust across all levels of the organisation, ensuring that employees feel aligned with leadership’s vision and strategic direction. 

Building and Restoring Trust in Leadership Teams to Re-engage Employees 

To re-engage the workforce and create a high-trust environment, senior leadership teams must:  

1. Demonstrate Vulnerability: Leaders should model openness by acknowledging their own mistakes and uncertainties, setting a precedent for team members to do the same. 
2. Foster Open Communication: Encouraging transparent dialogue ensures that concerns are addressed promptly and minimised misunderstandings, fostering employee trust. 
3. Commit to Accountability: Holding oneself and others accountable reinforces a culture of reliability and integrity, ensuring employees feel supported and valued.
4. Recognise and Celebrate Contributions: Acknowledging individual and team achievements builds confidence and reinforces trust across all levels of the organisation.
5. Invest in Relationship Building: Regular team-building activities and opportunities for personal interaction strengthen interpersonal bonds and re-engage employees by making them feel part of a cohesive team. 

Circle and Square’s Experience in Re-engaging the Workforce Through Trust 

Circle and Square have worked with many leadership teams over the last 22 years and equip leaders with the psychological skills and insights to move to a space of vulnerability and integrity needed to build trust. Trust is about character and competence, and in our experience, it is often unintentional behaviour in character that breaks trust in a team. By helping leaders recognise and address these behaviours, we enable teams to foster a high-trust environment that drives sustainable success. When trust is present at the leadership level, it cascades down to employees, re-engaging them by creating a culture of psychological safety and alignment with organisational goals. 

Conclusion 

Trust is not a mere byproduct of effective teams; it is the catalyst that enables teams to function optimally and employees to stay engaged. By prioritising trust-building initiatives, senior leadership teams can enhance collaboration, drive innovation, and achieve sustained organisational success. When trust is present, teams move faster, work smarter, and deliver results more efficiently. Most importantly, trust enables leaders to re-engage their workforce, creating a thriving, high-performing organisational culture. 

For a deeper understanding of the importance of trust in teams, you might find this talk by Patrick Lencioni insightful: The Importance of Trust by Patrick Lencioni. 

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