"Swift trust occurs when a diverse group of experts are brought together in a temporary organization such as a virtual team created for an urgent project."
Hi
Organisations do bring together temporary staff either being contractors or virtual teams for specific project requirements and it is usually due to lack of skill-sets within the organisation or sometimes to provide additional project resource to urgent projects. You dont have to know them initially on a personal level, there are there because they are the experts they are the ones that will deliver the project. Their experience, knowledge and know-how must be respected and trusted. As the project makes progress we get to know these professionals personally and it can make all the difference, it is about breaking down the barriers, being part of the same team. Saving Changes...
Hi Vasoula, thanks for the reply. What I see in the case you describe is that when external people are hired because the skills of the employees are not sufficient, this creates another barrier for trust; it's not one of them.
So it seems that trust in this case is a balance between reputation as expert vs group not really open for outside help. What do you think? Saving Changes...
Contractors or experts for example, are hired for specific projects, these people may work along side with internal Project Managers to shadow the experts for the duration of the project in hand, the idea is to grow internal skill-sets. Barriers do need to come down as soon as possible to make it workable, to collaborate, share ideas and skills - in reality trust and respect is earned. There have been many times where people just dont get on on a personal level, different personalities, ideas and thinking. Thats OK, I really do think that we need to work with all types of people regardless of our own personal feelings and must remain Professional at all times. People can trust the work of a professional even if they dont personally like them.
Hiring people from outside may or may not create a barrier of trust, it all comes down to responsibilities and why they were hired in the first place by the Senior people of the organisation. If staff feel the skill-sets were available internally and these experts come in to take over so to speak it could be because of tight deadlines, either way you just cant please everyone.
I have known many instances where contractor\expert at the end of their contractual agreement they remained within the company taking on other high profile projects employed for many years... The group may feel resentful that they have been overlooked but thats how things are in many large organisations.
Is there a win win situation, well yes if people are prepared to compromise, learn from others...
Vasoula Saving Changes...
Hans RobbersSenior Director| SalesforceVlissingen, Netherlands
Bas
Again a great question. There have been studies to trust and when people trust one another. By the way this cross cultural
Asking people when they would trust somebody will deliver the following answers:
Keep promises 65%
Is a friend 55%
Trusts me 45%
Is a family member 44%
Thinks like me 39%
Is well educated 37%
Shows emotions 31%
Is loyal 31%
Shares my culture 23%
Is open with information 21%
Friend of a friend 20%
So to me it starts with a relationship. Whatever you do make sure people meet each other and pay attention the people you bring into the team score high on 1,3, and 5.
Keeping promises
Do not overpromise to start with the relationship is still to be built
Trusts me
This can be radiated in numerous ways but starts with listen to the other people already for a long time on the project, value their opinion and take the time to share your thoughts and discuss options whereby you treat them as equal.
Thinks like me
Again take the time to listen and summarize what the other has said and use his language. Take time at the beginning to explore
Hopes this helps and opens another dimension
Hans Saving Changes...
Elizabeth HarrinDirector| RebelsGuideToPM.comLondon, England, United Kingdom
John Niland is doing a presentation as part of the Virtual Working Summit called Building Trust Remotely. That might have some tips on how to develop trust when you don't have a face-to-face relationship with your team.
Great article, very relevant for organizations today doing more with less.
Project Manager's live this every day; they have to develop swift trust with teams, sponsor, C-Level executives and stakeholders.
Project Manager's need to practice this at work and play. If you are not practicing this at play you're missing an opportunity.
Competitive and recreational sports help you to practice swift trust i.e; Doubles tennis, four person volleyball, softball. I play year round tennis and I show up to play with team members I don't always know. How do I build trust with my team members? We start with a warmup, standup strategy meeting and pick our side (strength). We both know that we have two - three hours to produce positive outcomes (play well, partner to build swift trust, make few unforced errors to increase percentage of wins) During play I demonstrate skill, leadership, accountability, strategy, communication, coaching as required, support, motivation, and feedback on plays. My partner has to trust me and I have to trust them to do the same while achieving outcomes, win points, and make fewer unforced errors. I build swift trust one point at a time.
Practicing applying leadership and using tools like emotional intelligence, listening skills and conflict management to help you build swift trust at work and play.
Other thoughts? Saving Changes...
Matthew SmithProject Management Consultant| Risk and Project ManagementQueanbeyan, Australia
Hi Bas.
Trust is fundamental to all our relationships. In temporary or virtual teams it's an even more important issue so it's a great topic to raise.
I've always found trust for the most part is an unconsciously negotiated feeling. A child has absolute trust in their parents. Conversely, most people would have little trust in a person who has let them down before. These are points on a continuum rather then points in space. Where we are on the continuum with each person we know is based on our experience with them in the past. Hence the expression "I know just how far I can trust him/her".
By necessity, in virtual or temporary teams the time available to establish trust is shorter. Therefore team members, as Linda Bourne suggests, should try to start from a position of trust. This gives the team a greater chance of achieving the goal.
From my own experience, a greater part of my time must be spent in communication and team management in virtual or temporary teams. It's even more important to find out what motivates your team members early in the project or task.
As always, it takes many times longer to regain trust after it's lost. So in virtual or temporary teams, it's really important to focus on communication and relationships.
Saving Changes...
Hans RobbersSenior Director| SalesforceVlissingen, Netherlands
Matthew
thanks for sharing which make me remember an old Dutch saying:
Trust comes by foot and goes by horse.
Especially when you have previously lost trust I would even say it comes crawling
Thanks for all the great contributions. The more I read your replies I am thinking about the risk when "building trust" becomes a task on its own. If you are doing things for "trust" it is a fine line with "manipulation". So basically just focus on doing "things right", pay attention to people, and that is just it. Not with the intent of "going to gain trust".
Bas: Maxwell state this well that Leadership is influence; nothing more; nothing less. Managers work from a position of command and control.
As a leader you must earn trust to be able to influence especially early in a virtual team environment. Everyone will start with little or some knowledge to gauge trust amongst the team. You must demonstrate you can be trusted and also be trustworthy. Team members also must demonstrate their integrity to be accountable thus earning trust within the group and from the leader. Saving Changes...
