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How can I get my team to understand and trust each other?

This article provides managers and team leaders with practical steps to help their teams build mutual understanding and trust.

Updated over 2 weeks ago

The Challenge

We think we know our team members, but do we really?

When team members don’t fully understand one another, communication, collaboration, and trust can break down.

It is important that team members recognize each other’s strengths, weaknesses, and preferred working styles so they can adapt their interactions and provide the right support. Without an objective measure of individual differences or a shared language to describe traits, assumptions are made and behaviors are misinterpreted.


The Solution

Core Drivers can become a common language for sharing and learning

The Core Drivers diagnostic is a powerful tool that helps teams better understand one another and collaborate more effectively.

By learning about each team member’s personality, teams can make informed decisions, build rapport, and improve communication. This shared understanding builds trust, which enables people to show up authentically and do their best work.

Learn more about why trust matters here.


Follow These Steps

Step 1: Increase Self-Awareness

  • Ensure each person understands their own Core Driver results.

  • If possible, hold a 1:1 debrief with each team member before sharing results in a group setting. This deepens their understanding of the tool, the scales, and how their personality affects others.


Step 2: Build Buy-In

  • Clarify the purpose of the team session: to understand strengths and risks, build rapport, increase trust, and improve collaboration.

  • Seek permission to share results. Address hesitations by reinforcing that there are no “good” or “bad” Drivers—everyone has strengths and risks to manage.

  • Emphasize that understanding similarities and differences helps team members adapt their style and provide better support.


Step 3: Make Sharing Results Fun and Engaging

  • Discuss each Core Driver and where team members land on the scale.

    • In-person: Ask members to line up in order of their score.

    • Virtual: Have them mark their score with their initials or name. Reflect together on the patterns they notice.

  • Create groups based on top Drivers. For example, everyone with Candid as their top Driver can discuss how it shows up for them, their shared traits, and where differences arise.

  • Pair people with opposite Drivers (e.g., Candid with Considerate) and have them exchange insights for 10–15 minutes. Encourage them to explore what they can learn from each other and how they can offer support.


Final Thoughts

Understanding builds cohesion and trust, enabling teams to communicate more effectively, make better decisions, and navigate conflict constructively. While building trust takes time, Core Drivers can accelerate the process.

As the team evolves, revisit these exercises to reinforce the value of understanding one another, celebrating differences, and offering support.

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