ENTER Conference: Creating a Culture of Trust

I can’t write what I wrote on my previous post about a healthy team without following it with this post on creating a culture of trust.  In order to speak openly with your team, everyone on the team must feel safe to be vulnerable around one another.  This is crucial.  I need to say that part of building a healthy team is earning the right to be heard by your team.  You must build trust before you can say anything.  I mean anything.

This is going to be relatively shorter post than the team building post.  Trust is like a bank account.  We need to be making more deposits than withdrawals.  Doing things like admitting when we are wrong adds to the trust fund.  Avoiding our mistakes and copping an attitude that just because “I’m the worship leaders and I have a music degree” will definitely be a withdrawal from the trust fund.

Be vulnerable to your team members.  Let them know that you don’t have it all together.  Let them know when you struggle.  Let them see that you are human and not some guitar playing cyborg with no human emotions.  Have fun.  Cry.  Let them see you emote.  Let them into your life.  Just as we pour into the lives of our volunteer team members, let them pour into you.  YOU WILL BE BLESSED.

Be honest and direct with your team.  Say what you mean and don’t beat around the bush.  When doing this, though, remember to do it in love (Ephesians 4:14) and NOT UNTIL YOU HAVE EARNED THE RIGHT TO BE HEARD.  The new guy on the team who is at his second rehearsal doesn’t need the leader to come down in him if he isn’t getting his stuff done.

In order for the foundation of trust to be laid down, your team must see that you sincerely love and care for them as people.  Not based on their talent or skill, but, simply because they exist and breathe oxygen.  Look at John 13:35.  LOVE ONE ANOTHER and by doing this, you will earn the trust of the team you have built.  Oh – other people will see this and want to join the team.