Why trust is the foundation of every great team

In his book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni lists the common issues that stop teams from performing at their best:

• Absence of trust
• Fear of conflict
• Lack of commitment
• Avoidance of accountability
• Inattention to results

Of these, trust sits at the base of the pyramid. It’s the foundation on which everything else depends. Without it, collaboration becomes cautious, communication turns filtered, and progress slows to a crawl.

Lencioni describes the absence of trust as a situation where people are “unwilling to be vulnerable within the group.”

Leadership consultant Angela Kambouris puts it beautifully:

“Being vulnerable is the boldest act of business leadership.”

To build trust, she says, leaders must lead with transparency, accountability, and vulnerability. When mistakes are made, admit them fully and share what you’ve learned so others can grow too.

Why you might struggle with trust

1. You don’t trust others first

If you’ve ever delegated a task that wasn’t delivered, it’s easy to stop asking for help.

But trust at work is reciprocal — you gain it by giving it.

Start by trusting everyone you interact with. Over time, consistency will turn that initial trust into earned credibility.

Research from the General Social Survey found that trust positively correlates with happiness. It’s what fuels a healthy workplace where people can:

• Rely on one another
• Cooperate effectively
• Take thoughtful risks
• Communicate honestly

Trust takes time to build, but it always starts with going first.

2. You don’t deliver what you promise

When intentions go unfulfilled, credibility erodes. We’ve all seen the “coming soon” page that never changes or the idea that never gets built.

Consistently showing up — delivering on what you say — builds confidence in both your team and your customers. As writer Jayson DeMers says:

“Regretting action is better than regretting inaction.”

Action proves reliability. Every small delivery compounds into trust.

3. You hold back your honest opinion

Your opinion is one of the most valuable things you can contribute. Yet many people hesitate to share theirs — out of fear of being wrong or going against the group.

Gary Vaynerchuk puts it plainly:

“If you express your authentic point of view and disagree with the people above you, you might lose with some leaders… but you’ll win over the smart people.”

Strong opinions, shared kindly, drive progress. They challenge assumptions, surface new ideas, and prevent the stagnation of groupthink — where teams conform for comfort rather than truth.

In my own work running Design Sprints with teams, we intentionally remove the setup for groupthink. We use techniques like “work alone, share together” and roles such as The Decider to ensure everyone contributes openly before alignment happens. The goal isn’t consensus — it’s clarity.

Building trust, one action at a time

Trust isn’t built in a single workshop or offsite. It’s a series of small, consistent actions: giving trust before it’s earned, doing what you say you’ll do, and sharing what you truly think.

When teams reach that point — where people can rely on each other and speak honestly — collaboration becomes real, conflict becomes healthy, and performance follows naturally.

Because every great team starts with trust.