Visible teamwork and trust
When we work remotely, it is possible for trust to suffer, but we can use the principles of Visible Teamwork to build and maintain trust in each other and the systems we adopt. However, it is also possible for our teamwork practices to undermine trust, particularly when changes are introduced, if the specific practices or the reasoning behind them are poorly understood.
Trust is a very individual thing after all, and we all have different inclinations to trust other people, quickly or slowly. We might not even be able to define what makes us trust a person, or a process, as it seems to happen on an intuitive level — but Charles H Green’s ‘trust equation’ identifies 3 important factors which increase our trust in others:
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Reliability: (being the sort of person who follows through and does what they say they will);
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Integrity: (when our actions align with values);
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Transparency: (when our intentions and agendas are open and consistent).
When it comes to work we also need to trust in someone’s competency and capacity to actually do the work, and we may need to have trust in the system itself — to provide the necessary tools and resources (which includes enough time), that we can each deliver on our commitments.
Deliberate Communication underpins reliability and commitment, along with accountability. For true transparency, open conversations are the aspiration, which also builds a sense of integrity where everyone’s progress and commitments are made clear.
Visible work and a transparent workflow help us to trust the system and our role within it, as well as seeing how our roles interlock — and this also provides evidence for competence and reliability at the same time. Planned Spontaneity can also contribute to a sense of trust by enabling us to relate better to our colleagues and see how their ways of thinking and behaving are similar to or different from our own, which deepens the affective trust that only comes from connectedness.
However, when designing Visible Teamwork practices to support trust, we must be careful not to damage it. Trust takes time to build, but can be upset very quickly, in any circumstances.
It’s great if we design a workflow whereby managers and everybody can see the work being done in real time, as this reduces friction, time spent reporting, and the need for disruptive communication. But if this is introduced without adequate context it might be perceived as a micromanaging response to lack of reliability or accountability.
And if we introduce processes which generate their own friction, such as ticking off a task list or completing a time-sheet, this can have a similar impact.
“Don’t they trust me to do the work, why do I now have to do an additional thing to prove that I have done it? If I forget to tick off the task, will I be seen as unreliable, untrustworthy — even though I did actually DO the activity?”
Having an open conversation about what the whole team needs to feel secure in working together and accountable to one another might be helpful, and surface any tensions that your visible teamwork can address by design.
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