Kim joined a remote-first company to lead a product team distributed across Europe and the U.S. She knew perfectly well how important it is for a team to have trust in each other and their leader. But how do you build trust when you only see each other once a year at a company retreat?
We started working together when Kim was three months into her new role, and trust was one of her biggest issues.
Every aspect of business is affected by trust. For instance, a recent Accenture report states that "95% of workers see value in working with gen AI—but their top concern is that they don’t trust organizations to ensure positive outcomes for everyone." Distrust leads to poor communication, information hoarding, secrecy and suppression of critical opinions—a scenario affecting 65% of teams according to McKinsey. PwC’s 2024 Trust Survey shows that "42% of executives cite productivity as the biggest risk if employees don’t trust their employer, along with the quality of products and services (41%), operational efficiencies (40%) and ... profitability (38%)."
So how do you address this issue of trust, given its complexity, influence on the organization at many different levels and the challenges posed by a remote team? Let's break it down.
The Levels Of Team Trust
When building team trust, you need to be aware of your team's current level and where you want them to move from there. We can think of trust in teams as a pyramid, an ongoing process of creating a high-performing team that generates impact greater than the sum of individual contributions.
Level 1: Self-Trust
At this foundational level, the leader and team members have confidence in their own abilities, decisions and integrity. This self-assurance empowers them to contribute effectively. Building self-trust is the first thing newly appointed leaders need to do by seeking mentorship, coaching, training or simply registering their learning curve as they develop in their new role.
When team members have self-trust, they:
• Are confident in decision-making.
• Proactively contribute ideas and solutions.
• Maintain personal accountability.
To boost self-trust, recognize not only results but also the effort put into achieving outcomes. Acknowledge their growth journey to help them become more self-aware and confident in their workplace abilities.
Level 2: Interpersonal Trust
Once individuals trust themselves, the next step is developing trust in others' reliability. Interpersonal trust focuses on the consistency and dependability of team members, which is essential for establishing basic working relationships and ensuring a smooth workflow.
Team members with interpersonal trust:
• Consistently deliver and meet deadlines.
• Communicate progress and potential issues promptly.
• Offer peer support and assistance.
Strengthen interpersonal trust by investing time in social connections through regular 1:1s and collaborative alignment meetings. Spend a few minutes at the beginning of each meeting on non-work-related conversations to help team members get to know each other better.
Level 3: Competence Trust
Trust in each other's professional skills and expertise is the next layer. Competence trust ensures that team members have confidence in their colleagues' abilities to perform tasks effectively, which is vital for delegation, collaboration and high-quality results.
You know that your team is at that level when team members:
• Share knowledge and expertise with others.
• Provide and accept constructive feedback.
• Mentor and guide less experienced colleagues.
To build trust at the competence level, help your team members learn from each other by hosting regular knowledge-sharing sessions. Encourage mentorship programs and pair experienced professionals with less experienced team members. Recognize each other's professional superpowers and celebrate professional achievements together.
Level 4: Emotional Trust
With a foundation of self-trust, interpersonal trust and competence trust, the next step is fostering emotional trust. This level emphasizes the importance of transparency, honest feedback and the willingness to share ideas, concerns and feedback. Emotional trust is critical for addressing issues promptly, fostering innovation and aligning with team goals.
Teams at the emotional trust level:
• Share ideas that might contradict common perceptions.
• Express concerns without fear of judgment.
• Engage in constructive conflict to reach better solutions.
Support emotional trust by ensuring all voices are heard. This is even more important in a remote environment where digital communication might still be a challenge for some team members. Hold regular team meetings to discuss successes and lessons learned from failures, and invest time in strategizing together.
Level 5: Team Synergy
The highest level of trust is achieved when the team functions as a unified entity, with a deep sense of mutual support, shared purpose and strong interpersonal bonds. This synergy results in seamless collaboration and exceptional performance.
Teams at this level:
• Work toward shared goals with a collective purpose.
• Engage in collaborative problem-solving and decision-making.
• Consider and include stakeholder perspectives.
For teams to operate at the highest level of trust, the leader's role is to maintain the five pillars of high-performing teams: clarity of goals, linking relationships, integrated ways of working, collaborative decision-making and knowledge sharing and feedback.
Final Thoughts
Building trust, especially in a remote context, demands intentionality over an extended period. However, the investment provides immense benefits—improving team collaboration, creativity and efficiency. With patience and diligence, you can create a strong team culture where trust is the foundation for outstanding results.