5 Strategies For Guiding Corporate Teams With Trust And Shared Purpose

If you are leading a team, you know certain things must happen for the team to succeed. A tried and tested formula entails hiring people with the right skills, defining clear tasks, and rewarding good performance. However, these practices alone cannot guarantee success anymore, as the game has fundamentally changed. Team success today is often determined more by “who” people are, and “how” they are going to think and work together, as opposed to simply “what” needs to happen.

The changing dynamic is evident everywhere. In 1935, an S&P company had a 90-year life expectancy. By 2010, it was down to 14 years. Technology advances and customer expectations are, without a doubt, important drivers of business change. Economic volatility, change fatigue, and more recently, the pandemic all shape a business landscape that continues to evolve.

The “Great Resignation” – a phenomenon that has emerged following the pandemic – adds yet another level of complexity. Recruiting and retaining high-performing teams is becoming a real problem and a significant barrier for many companies, posing their long-term survival at risk as it challenges their ability to operate.

Even so, this is not a completely new problem. In the last decade, several studies have highlighted the looming talent shortage. However, the shift in employee expectations following the pandemic may have brought more urgency to the situation.

Besides earning a paycheck, many employees today are looking for meaning and purpose in the work they do and want to feel appreciated and empowered. Their choice of employer is often guided by the company’s values and culture, to the point where they actively avoid companies whose values do not align with their own or whose goals do not go beyond profit. On occasion, they may even leverage the power of social media to advocate for or against an organisation.

However, even in today’s fast-paced corporate world, it is still possible for leaders to build resilient, high-performing teams.

And it starts with trust and shared purpose.

“Trust” and “Purpose”: What are they and why do they matter in the corporate context?

Trust is mutual comfort and vulnerability

Simply put, trust is being comfortable with being vulnerable with each other.

What are the signs of trust in a team?

It is ok to admit you don’t know something; you are confident that others have your back; you are not afraid to show your whole self at work; there is a “we” mindset rather than a “me” attitude.

As Aliza Knox writes In Why Leaders Should Strive To Be The Chief Trust Officer, “Trust matters at work. It’s the glue that bonds people and keeps them showing up and pitching in. Trust facilitates collaboration, exploration, and growth.”

And, if you are in any doubt about the impact of trust in the workplace, research has shown that trust can boost productivity by up to 50 percent.

Shared purpose energises team goals and empowers belief

A highly effective purpose in today’s business environment is less about the “goal” and more about the values that energise the goal. When this purpose is authentically communicated, centered, and reinforced, it will motivate and inspire teams to succeed.

A great example of how shared purpose can transform a company is Microsoft. Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s CEO, achieved phenomenal revenue growth through a shared purpose that centered on customers and engaged employees. As Greg Satell and Cathy Windschitl put it, “the art of leadership is no longer merely to plan and direct action but to inspire and empower belief.”

5 ways to guide corporate teams with shared purpose and trust in 2022 and beyond

1. Guiding teams with shared purpose starts with compelling and relatable organisational values

Guiding teams with shared purpose is easier when you remember that shared purpose isn’t what we do. It’s why we do what we do. A company’s values should serve as an expression of its purpose and guide your teams towards it.

Here are some questions to consider:

❖ How well do the values align with and support the purpose?
❖ Are they clearly understood or is the language too vague and abstract?
❖ What actions and behaviours will support the values and advance the purpose?
❖ What are some ways to measure their impact?

Your purpose and values should ultimately strive to bring your team along as partners in the journey rather than spectators. In the words of Mark Bonchek, “it is not purpose for, it is purpose with.”

2. See every interaction as an opportunity to build buy-in for the shared purpose

To encourage your team to personally “invest” in and “share” your purpose, you will need to give them multiple, ongoing ways to experience, digest, and process it. Whether it is a team meeting or a one-on-one, a formal town hall or an informal encounter while waiting for the lift, virtual or in-person, every interaction offers a chance for buy-in.

Set the tone by sharing stories at every opportunity about how you and your leadership team are working to fulfill the purpose, and invite team members to share their own stories. Celebrate and reward the behaviours and actions that embody your shared purpose; their example will inspire others.

3. To build a culture of team trust, start with empathy

Let’s revisit the example of Nadella’s transformation of Microsoft. Nadella championed empathy and placed it at the heart of his company’s transformation. In his words, “Ideas excite me. Empathy grounds and centers me.” Here is a leader who understands the power of emotions.

Empathy can contribute to positive outcomes and the success of teams in measurable ways. As a case in point, Catalyst recently conducted a survey of 889 employees across industries in the US to assess how empathic leadership affects the workplace. They found that 76% of employees working under empathic senior leaders were more engaged at work, compared to only 32% under less empathic ones. The study also found that empathy positively influences other workplace outcomes (like innovation and burnout).

There are several things that leaders can do to develop empathy. One of them is active listening. Active listening demonstrates care and fosters trust and engagement. Yet, this skill is often overlooked. Take a moment to reflect on your listening style. Are there any habits that need to change to make you a more empathic leader?

4. Create a culture of trust by practicing vulnerability and transparency

Trust begins with transparency and vulnerability. For your team members to feel comfortable with being vulnerable and trusting one another, you must model these behaviours first. This means sharing some of your doubts, fears, failures, and uncertainties with the team.

Transparency in organisational decision-making is another way to build trust. It doesn’t mean that you disclose sensitive or confidential information, it is about the “why” behind the decisions communicated in a way that shows empathy for those affected. The more people understand why decisions are being made, the more likely they are to trust them, even if they don’t agree with them.

5. Create trust in your team by building and prioritising relationships

Developing strong relationships is key to building trust in a team. This starts with getting to know your team members on a personal level and being interested in their lives outside of work – their family, hobbies, or other interests.  These conversations will not only help you build trust but also provide you with valuable insights into their motivations or how to support them during difficult times.

Create as many opportunities as possible for building and nurturing these connections. Social events and volunteer days alone will not suffice if they aren’t frequent enough. Instead, incorporate short but frequent moments into your everyday conversations. Asking about their weekend at the beginning of the meeting before diving into business matters, or striking up a short conversation by the watercooler, are simple but effective ways to build trust.

Conclusion

Chronic overuse may have turned the words “purpose” and “trust” into little more than generic buzzwords or abstractions in corporate environments; however, leaders can’t afford to take them for granted. Shared purpose and trust are the cornerstones of successful teams.

By following these five practical strategies, you can begin to create a culture in which your team can thrive. Real change and growth happen when human emotion and rational thinking work cohesively.

How can you apply some of this team-building advice right now?

About the author

Olga Valadon is the Founder and Director of Change Aligned, which is a team of strategy consultants in London. She is a strategist, leadership mentor and corporate empathy expert with three decades of experience in global corporates. Her company specialises in culture design and leadership development. Olga is on the board of the University of Cambridge Primary school, advisor to Equal Employer®, and associate management lecturer at BPP University.