One of my top personal and professional values is trust.  I recently completed a team building session and we used Patrick Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions of a Team as a framework for their challenges.  Of course the foundational element and the first one most teams need to work to overcome.  It is so interesting to me that so few people on a team will actually call it out and say that TRUST is a personal value.

I see a lot of Integrity, Excellence, Family First, Respect, Do What You Say You Will Do.  But not often will I see Trust.  Yet that is the area that most team’s score low on.  So many causes to lack of trust.  Some people get burned and used by screaming, manipulative managers.  Others had issues with trust growing up, and some just plain don’t trust anyone.  Trust means different things to different people so it is important to know what someone’s definition is before you start applying solutions to problem.  One technology leadership team I was working with all had different definitions.  One person said, “Do I trust that Joe will go do what I ask them to do or not.”  One manager shared “I can just look in someone’s eye and it tells me who they are and if I can trust them. “  Another said, “I trust people from the start.  I assume you are capable until you show me differently.”  Another said, “I don’t trust anyone until they show me otherwise.”  The book defines Absence of Trust: stems from an unwillingness to be vulnerable within the group; team members who are not open about mistakes and weaknesses make it impossible to build trust.

One of Lencioni’s solutions in the book Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team is something called a Personal Histories exercise.  Three simple questions can get the conversation started to start to scratch the surface.  Where did you grow up?  How many kids were in your family?  What was one important challenge you had to overcome?  It get’s the conversation started.

Another activity is called The Coat of Arms.  It sounds cheesy to some but I have seen countless C level executives really get a lot out of it.  In keeping with what we learned about the brain, and especially untapping innovation and creativity of the right brain, we provide many colored markers in order to get creative and tap into the inner artist.  I like Mr. Sketch’s water color scented markers the best.  I learned long ago through Bob Pike and Creative Training Techniques that the simple act of smelling the markers awakens the right side of the brain (the creative side).  Plus we get a laugh out of “oooooo, smelling the markers, are you catching a buzz…lol.”  Breaks the ice and we haven’t even gotten started.

You can make the segments anything you want.   Whatever they are comfortable with.  Even the most analytical of scientists and technologists have enjoyed this activity.  It is one step closer to getting to know each other which is one step closer to building trust.

• Each team member spends 5-10 minutes creating their own personal Coat of Arms, then everyone presents to each other.
• Values, accomplishments, favorite vacation spot, where you were born, Motto or favorite quote, favorite book and why, favorite song and why.
• Participants can use words, pictures, or both, it is up to them.
• Simple, fun and incredibly insightful.

I did this recently with a executive leadership team filled with Harvard and Yale grads.  Really bright people, and they LOVED it!  The stories were absolutely incredible.

One leader shared an amazing story of hitchhiking through the Southwest after a significant car repair problem all the way back to Florida.  He was perceived by his team as someone that does not take risks and was closed to interesting options. This created a whole new story about the individual and dialogue that had not been possible in the past began after this exercise.

You also find out the closet artists that  have a hidden talent.  Try it sometime.  It is one of my favorites.  When you can get vulnerable with people, tell them deep personal stories and discuss values and what you are proud of, it can take the relationship to the next level.

Other tools that have been successful are using Name Tags to write your name, a value and your motto.  Or name tents.  Whatever will stimulate some creative thinking and bridge the gap from all work and no play.

What bridge does your team need to build?

Filed under: Uncategorized by ermigrp
Tags:Bob Pike, Creative Training Techniques, Patrick Lencioni, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Trust


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