I love being on a team. I’ve said this many times before, but the energy and momentum that comes when you are a part of a healthy team is unlike anything else. It is not possible to work as quickly and efficiently alone as you do on a strong team. One of the most important things that every team needs is trust. The various members have to trust and lean on one another; without trust, teams become competitive instead of collaborative. It is really hard to work well if there is no trust. But teams are made up of flawed people, and losses of trust are inevitable. People make mistakes and drop the ball, that is unavoidable. So how is a team to continue working when trust is lost? Furthermore, what should you do when you are the person who broke trust? The way you handle your mistakes will determine the rate at which your team will bounce back. Mistakes happen; you will probably mess up and do something you wish you could take back at one point or another. The challenge is to address these issues with grace and humility. One hiccup does not have to destroy the progress your team is making. Here are a few ways deal with a loss of trust.
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Take responsibility.
Don’t hide from what has happened. The faster you take responsibility for what has taken place, the easier it will be for your team to move on. The best thing you can do when you make a mistake is to own it. Even accidents are still your responsibility. Regardless of the circumstances or specifics, take responsibility for what happened.
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Apologize.
Once you’ve owned it, you need to apologize with sincerity. Quite often, it is the moments in which you really need to apologize that it becomes difficult to do so. You may be feeling defensive or embarrassed that you have lost the trust of your team, but you just have to swallow that pride and say you’re sorry. Apologies open the door to healing. Make sure you are mending relationships.
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Order your emotions.
Understand that even if you have apologized and taken responsibility, your team may still be upset. Be careful to avoid getting upset or defensive. Allowing your emotions to get the best of you in this situation will only widen the gap between yourself and your teammates. Don’t get lost in the emotion of the moment.
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Be patient.
The road to restoring trust is a long one. Be sensitive to the needs and feelings of the people around you. It will probably take longer than you would like to get past this issue, but it will happen eventually. When in doubt, wait it out!
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Work hard.
You cannot turn back the clock or take back your mistakes; all you can do is move forward and keep getting better. Remain committed to the mission and vision of your team and keep working towards that. Accomplish your goals, collaborate with your teammates, and commit wholeheartedly to hitting your targets.
