Why Teams Avoid Addressing Trust Issues

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁. And you can’t have trust without safety. In a recent leadership workshop, one participant said something that stuck with me: “People are too afraid to speak. They’re not sure if what they say is safe or correct.” That one sentence explained everything. Because most collaboration issues aren’t really about teamwork. They’re about 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆. Not physical safety.  But emotional safety. The kind that says: • “It’s okay to share my honest opinion.”    • “I won’t be humiliated if I’m wrong.”    • “My contribution will be valued — even if it’s not perfect.”    Without that, people go quiet. They nod politely. They route communication through middlemen. They avoid meetings. They stop trying. And it’s not because they don’t care. It’s because they don’t feel safe enough to risk caring 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥. So when leaders tell me, “My team won’t collaborate,” I often ask: “𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝘆?” Because trust doesn’t grow in high-pressure environments where mistakes are punished and honest feedback is met with defensiveness. 𝗜𝘁 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻. 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱. Even when their view is different. Even when they’re still learning. Even when it’s messy. If collaboration is what you want — safety is where you start.

"I don't need my team members to be friends. They just need to work together." I used to believe this. I was wrong. After 6 years of building teams, here's what I learned about trust: When team members don't trust each other: -> They hide their mistakes -> They hesitate to ask for help -> They avoid giving feedback -> They struggle with conflict -> They rarely take risks I saw this happen in my own company. We had brilliant individuals who produced good work, but something was missing. Projects moved slowly. Meetings felt tense. Innovation was stagnant. The real problem? They weren't willing to be vulnerable with each other. Here's what changed everything: We started encouraging: - Admitting mistakes openly - Asking "stupid" questions - Acknowledging our weaknesses The results surprised me: 1. Productivity shot up (because people stopped wasting energy hiding their challenges) 2. Improved innovation (because they weren't afraid to share "crazy" ideas) 3. Problems got solved faster (because they surfaced earlier) Today, my most successful teams aren't the ones with the most talent. They're the ones where people feel safe enough to be imperfect. Because great teams aren't built on perfection. They're built on trust. What's one way you build trust in your team? #leadership #teambuilding #trust

An open door means nothing if people don't feel safe walking through it. Most leaders struggle with team communication. Not because they're bad leaders— But because they mistake silence for everything being fine. Silence hides your biggest risks. If you see even one of these signals, pay attention: 1. The sudden drop in questions → When "any questions?" gets zero response That's fear, not clarity 2. The quick "yes" to every proposal → When pushback disappears overnight You've lost the real conversations 3. The "everything's fine" updates → When status reports are too perfect Problems are hiding in plain sight 4. The private back-channels → When feedback comes through others Direct trust is broken 5. The missing disagreements → When was the last time someone challenged you? Harmony isn't always healthy Here's what actually works: 1. Ask Better Questions → Not: "How's everything going?" → But: "What obstacle should I know about?" → And: "What would you do differently?" 2. Create Multiple Channels → Schedule skip-level meetings → Set up anonymous feedback loops → Use async channels for timely inputs 3. Go Where They Are → Walk the floor (or virtual rooms) → Join project channels → Show up in their space, not yours → Engage with those whom you haven't heard from Most importantly: Act on what you hear—even if you disagree. Nothing kills trust faster than ignored input. When people see their input matters, they'll give you more of it. Leadership is active, not passive. Stop waiting. Start seeking. 💬 Leaders: What other listening mechanisms work for you? ---- Follow me, tap the (🔔) Omar Halabieh for daily Leadership and Career posts

The most expensive problems in leadership don’t show up in your P&L. They show up in the room. In the past 12 months, what I’ve learned — and what this graphic nails — is that most executive dysfunction doesn’t come from lack of experience. It comes from team dynamics no one’s willing to talk about. - A leadership team that avoids conflict because they fear tension — and then ends up with decisions no one’s really committed to. - A new hire who’s brilliant on paper — but can’t be vulnerable enough to build real trust. - A global team that says they value accountability — but tolerates missed deadlines and quiet underperformance. These aren’t soft issues. They’re the cracks that derail transformation, delay launches, and quietly crush performance. What I’ve found when hiring senior leaders is this: ✔ Most companies evaluate results. ✔ Some companies look at skills. ❌ Few evaluate how leaders handle conflict, feedback, and trust. And that’s where the biggest risk (and opportunity) lies. When I hire for high-performance teams, I don’t just ask: → “Can this person do the job?” I ask: → “Will they build or break trust when things get hard?” → “Can they challenge others — and be challenged back?” → “Will they own results, or protect status?” The most successful teams I’ve seen — especially in consumer goods where cross-functional collaboration is essential — all share one trait: They do the hard, human work. They talk about what isn’t working. They hold each other accountable. They lead with transparency — not territory. So, if your team is scaling, hiring, or transforming this year… Ask yourself honestly: Which dysfunction are we quietly tolerating? Because trust, conflict, commitment, accountability, and results aren’t “soft skills.” They’re the architecture of every high-performing executive team. And you can’t build anything strong without the right foundation. #ExecutiveSearch #LeadershipHiring #FMCGLeadership #HighPerformanceTeams #OrganizationalHealth #TeamDynamics

Ever felt unsure about what a colleague really meant? Or maybe you sensed they weren’t being completely honest with you? A while back, I worked with a team struggling with tension. One leader told me, “I don’t know if my team members actually mean what they say.” Another team member confided, “I feel like people here say one thing but do another.” The frustration was real. Meetings were full of polite nods, but once they ended, nothing moved forward. Everyone tiptoed around issues instead of addressing them. And when things went wrong? Fingers pointed in every direction. The real issue? A lack of sincerity. When sincerity is missing, misunderstandings grow, trust weakens, and conflict is inevitable. Without it, conversations feel like a game of guessing intentions instead of working together. One moment stood out—after yet another miscommunication, a senior team member finally snapped, “Why can’t we just say what we mean?” The room fell silent. It wasn’t that people didn’t want to be honest. They just didn’t feel safe enough to do so. Sincere conversations clear up confusion before it turns into tension. It’s not just about being nice—it’s about being honest, open, and transparent. Why does sincerity matter? Research shows that teams with open, sincere communication resolve conflicts faster and perform better. In Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, the authors emphasize how genuine, honest conversations create a safe space for addressing difficult issues. When sincerity is present, teams feel more secure, trust strengthens, and conflicts don’t escalate—they get solved. How to Build Sincerity in Your Team: 1️⃣ Set the Standard – Define what sincerity looks like in your team: being upfront, transparent, and following through on commitments 2️⃣ Encourage Open Feedback – Create a space where team members can speak honestly without fear of backlash 3️⃣ Match Words with Actions – If someone commits to something, they follow through. If plans change, they communicate early. Trust is built on consistency This is part of the COMBThrough series, where we help teams untangle real challenges and strengthen collaboration. When sincerity becomes the norm, teams communicate better, trust grows, and conflicts shrink. What’s your experience with sincerity in the workplace? Love to learn from you. ********************************************************************************* Hi! I’m Cassandra Nadira. I help teams unlock their potential to increase performance with proven tools and practices. 🚀 Let’s strengthen your team: ✅ Workshops & Trainings – Build self-awareness and leadership agility ✅ Custom Programs – Enhance team dynamics and performance ✅ Speaking Engagements – Inspire with actionable insights 📩 Let’s connect—message me to explore how we can work together!

Many leaders still see vulnerability as weakness. I've seen it happen over and over. Leaders resist vulnerability because they think it means encouraging weakness. So, they build cultures where people are scared to speak up when they need help. The result is teams that hide problems instead of solving them. Here are 5 myths about trust that keep teams stuck: 𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝟭: 𝗩𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 = 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 Wrong. When someone admits they're struggling with a deadline or need support, that's not weakness. That's courage. Teams that support vulnerability get stronger. Teams that punish it fall apart. 𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝟮: 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 Most times, It's not. People don't leave because of money. They leave because of low trust. When trust is missing, everything else falls apart, including retention. Fix the trust problem, not just the salary. 𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝟯: 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 It doesn't. When EVBox's IPO was delayed, we couldn't share why for legal reasons. I acknowledged with the team what we couldn't say and why. Transparency isn't always about full disclosure. It's about honest communication within boundaries. 𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝟰: 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 They multiply. When people hide overwhelm or burnout, you end up with high turnover and absenteeism. I've watched businesses fail because employees weren't comfortable speaking up. 𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝟱: 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 The opposite is true. Leaders who can't express vulnerability can't get help when they need it most. Their teams learn to hide problems too. - Low-trust cultures don't protect teams. They break them. The role of a leader isn't just to execute strategy. It's to create an environment where people trust each other enough to do their best work. When trust is high, teams take risks, make decisions, and admit mistakes without fear. When trust is low, hesitation and politicking take over. 𝘕𝘰𝘸, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘐 𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴? Start small. Pick one component that could improve trust on your team. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆. --- I’m Hugo Pereira, co-founder of Ritmoo and fractional growth operator. I’ve led companies from €1M to €100M+ while building purpose-driven, resilient teams. Follow me for unfiltered takes on growth, leadership, and scaling what matters. My book 𝘛𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭 – 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘌𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘢𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 is out now on Amazon.

Team trust does not exist. Trust operates on a one-to-one basis - I trust you, you trust me, I trust Bob, Bob trusts me. What we call "team trust" is really a web of individual bilateral relationships. This insight fundamentally changes how we approach team building. Instead of trying to foster "team trust" as an abstract concept, effective leaders need to map and strengthen these individual trust connections. I witnessed this recently with a leadership succession case. The team was stuck because everyone was dancing around unspoken concerns. When we finally got raw and honest about individual relationships and expectations, we accomplished six months of work in a single afternoon. The key? Creating space for vulnerable, one-on-one conversations. When the founder openly shared his personal needs and concerns about specific team members, it allowed others to do the same. This bilateral trust-building broke through years of stagnation. Remember: Team effectiveness isn't built on group trust - it's built on a foundation of strong individual relationships. #trustbuilding #leadership #systemandsoul

Forget what you think you know about "toxic culture." These 5 insights came from seeing what actually breaks teams behind closed doors. After investigating hundreds of workplace conflicts, I’ve seen how small misunderstandings become large, costly issues—especially when teams don’t have the right tools to name or resolve early tension. Most situations don’t involve ill intent; they involve unclear expectations and conversations that never happened. Here’s what those investigations taught me: 𝟭. 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲. Roughly 90% of cases I’ve worked on involve people with good intentions and no way to express discomfort or confusion. One of the most expensive claims I ever handled—over a stolen pint of ice cream—wasn’t really about theft. It came from someone who felt shut out by a workplace clique and didn’t know how else to raise the issue. 𝟮. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘁. While compliance matters, most workplace tension grows from missed signals, unclear communication, and unresolved interpersonal dynamics. Without core relationship skills, even small conflicts can quietly gain traction. 𝟯. 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆. Across every strong culture I’ve seen, the consistent thread is leadership modeling. When executives speak with clarity, show curiosity, and use the same language their teams are learning, they raise the bar for how people relate to one another. 𝟰. 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗲𝗿. We created the Workplace Color Spectrum to help teams describe behavior without blame. When organizations apply that framework consistently, it gives people a way to speak up early, adjust behavior, and move forward. At one company, even the CEO now uses this language in town halls. That kind of consistency changes how teams operate. 𝟱. 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘆. Power dynamics in the workplace are shifting. Even as the balance tips back toward employers, employees still want clarity, trust, and fairness. The companies staying most grounded during this shift are the ones that continue investing in culture while adjusting performance expectations. Most teams aren’t trained to talk about what’s actually going wrong and in a high-pressure environment, that silence can turn into something far more damaging. What patterns are you seeing in your workplace? What tools are helping you name and navigate early tension?

So many conversations are missing in organizations because of one thing: trust. When I work with executive teams, they almost always ask how to build trust—and rightly so. Without it, people don’t collaborate, commitments aren’t met, and outcomes fall short. But here’s the tricky part about trust: it’s not always about “do I trust them or not?” It’s nuanced. For instance, you might trust someone’s honesty but doubt their skills in a certain area, or question their overall reliability. This is an important conversation on a team to have, and if I could provide a master key it would be for people to notice what it is that they don’t trust and learn to develop the skill to have a conversation about it. Faced with a missing conversation about competence or honesty, any people get stuck thinking, “I can’t talk about that!” They tiptoe around or avoid the conversation, and their relationships start to deteriorate. But here’s the thing: If you can lead a multi-million dollar deal, you can certainly lead a conversation about trust. Start with observations and focus on next steps: “𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘟, 𝘠, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘡, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐’𝘮 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘴. 𝘊𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥?” Or, “𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩, 𝘸𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐’𝘮 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦?” Notice how this conversation directly addresses concerns and focuses on what needs to happen to be successful, not on personal blame. This week, ask yourself: Who do you want to build a stronger relationship with to achieve a shared future? What’s holding you back? If it’s trust—don’t wait. Have a conversation. For more on how to talk about trust with your team, check out my conversation with Andrew Skotzko on his podcast, 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 (linked in the comments).

Too many first time CEOs and up and coming tech leaders struggle with the effects of avoiding uncomfortable conversations, leading to dysfunction in their companies and teams. Avoiding tough conversations today can turn small issues into major crises. When we avoid confrontation, we tend to push problems aside rather than solving them. These unaddressed problems often grow and become much more significant over time. What starts as a minor issue can escalate into a complex conflict that’s much harder to resolve. A useful way to understand these dynamics is through the Karpman Drama Triangle, which shows how different dysfunctional roles—like the Victim, Persecutor, and Rescuer—can emerge in workplace interactions. These roles lead to negative communication cycles that undermine healthy relationships and make it difficult for teams to work effectively. By recognizing these patterns, organizations can begin to shift toward more productive ways of engaging with each other. One of the common patterns in the Drama Triangle is the Rescuer role. I see this one a lot in up and coming senior leaders. When we step in to solve others' problems to avoid feeling uncomfortable ourselves, we unintentionally create dependency. This behavior can make others feel powerless, reinforcing their role as victims. Over time, this cycle keeps conflicts alive rather than resolving them in a healthy way. To prevent these dynamics from taking hold, clear and direct communication is key. Speaking openly, with empathy and compassion, helps everyone feel heard without the need for blame or avoidance. Compassionate honesty not only resolves problems more effectively but also prevents misunderstandings from escalating into harmful patterns. For leaders, this means overcoming the fear and discomfort that often come with addressing difficult issues head-on. Facing these conversations directly sets an important standard for honesty and trust within the team. By doing so, leaders help build healthier, more resilient workplace relationships, ultimately leading to a more effective and supportive work environment.