Q1: When working in teams, is trust assumed or do team members have to earn trust?
Trust is assumed in teams until there is reason that trust needs to be earned. When participating in a group or team, shared values and the desire for good performance establishes a bond between team members so trust can take place. Collaboration and expressing opinion, acquiring shared values and trust keeps the team working to a common goal. There needs to be participation for the end state of good performance to take place. I relate earned trust to be the same as conditional trust. The key to trust in teams is unconditional. When a member starts in a team, he or she collaborates based on formed values and effectively work toward the goal of achievement and performance.
Q2: Consider how trust is lost when working in teams and how to keep trust among team members.
According to book “First among Equals” (Free press, 2002, www.supportindustry.com), in a team, when the following result, trust is lost and needs to resolve before the trustful team can emerge again.
a. Members complain and find fault
b. Combative behavior is displayed
c. Subject to be protracted debate
d. Decisions changed after they are made
When people lack trust, they reveal only what they believe is safe, and usually make only a small part of their potential contribution (Maisters, 2002, p. 1). Important to point out what would make a team member not trust another, so when the things above arise, the team can identify what interpersonal skill needs to be addressed so the team can move advance desired goal and cohesion. The way to keep trust among a team is to have a strong leader, have the leader along with team members identify the areas that need to investigate and make sure each team member has duties that will come together to achieve the common goal. When duties not assigned among the team, the team has not delineated who should do what to bring the parts toward making the whole....