Problem

Individuals hesitate to share ideas or ask for help, fearing judgment or criticism.

Workshop Title

"Building Bridges: Strengthening Team Trust”

Objectives

• Identify and address factors that contribute to a lack of trust.
• Build personal connections and empathy within the team.
• Establish actionable commitments to enhance trust.

Materials Needed

• Sticky notes.
• Markers and flipchart/whiteboard.
• Timer.

Process

Welcome and Icebreaker (10 minutes)

Activity: What Trust Means
↳ Ask participants: "What does trust mean to you in a team?"
↳ Capture key words and themes on a flipchart or whiteboard.

Trust Icebreaker (15 minutes)

Activity: Two-Minute Connection
↳ Pair participants. Each person shares a story about a time when they worked in a highly trusted team.
↳ Encourage them to discuss what made that experience successful.

Identifying Trust Barriers (15 minutes)

Activity: Silent Brainstorm
↳ Each participant writes on sticky notes what they believe are barriers to trust within the team. Examples: "lack of transparency" or "poor follow-through."
↳ Group similar ideas on a board.

Vulnerability Building (20 minutes)

Activity: Personal Histories Exercise (adapted from Patrick Lencioni's The Five Dysfunctions of a Team)
↳ In small groups, each person answers:
    Where did you grow up?
    What was a challenging experience you faced growing up?
    Who was a role model in your life and why?

Commitment to Trust (20 minutes)

Activity: Trust Agreements
↳ Ask participants to brainstorm actionable ways to build trust within the team. Examples:
    "Be honest, even when it’s hard."
    "Follow through on commitments."
    "Listen without interrupting."
↳ Consolidate these into a "Team Trust Code."

Closing and Reflection (10 minutes)

Activity: Trust Pledges
↳ Each participant shares one personal commitment to building trust within the team.
↳ Example: “I will communicate openly about deadlines.”

Facilitator Notes

• Welcome and Introduction (10 minutes): Purpose is to create a shared understanding of trust.
• Trust Icebreaker (15 minutes): Debrief by highlighting common themes (e.g., openness, reliability, mutual support).
• Identifying Trust Barriers (15 minutes): Keep this non-judgmental; focus on identifying issues, not assigning blame.
• Vulnerability Building (20 minutes): Debrief by discussing how learning about personal histories builds empathy and connection.
• Commitment to Trust (20 minutes): Output is a shared document outlining trust-building behaviours.
• Closing and Reflection (10 minutes): Encourage participants to write these down as reminders.

Follow-up

Schedule a follow-up session in 4 weeks to reflect on improvements and refine the Trust Code as needed.