I recently led a team coaching session in an industrial company where the leader's objective was to strengthen cohesion.
Beforehand, I conducted individual, confidential interviews with each member of the team. What emerged was a team of brilliant, qualified, experienced people. So what was the problem?
When I asked them to comment on how they worked together, their answers came as no surprise.
“The unsaid floats in the air” “Meetings often end with a «we'll talk about it again» or worse, polite silence” “There's not enough questioning” “Decisions take weeks” “We don't really talk to each other”
This moment was a turning point. Because trust is not an abstract word. It's what enables people dare to say what counts, when it counts.
And when that's missing, everything freezes.
Patrick Lencioni puts it bluntly: lack of trust is the root of all team dysfunctions.
Its simple yet powerful pyramid reminds us that trust is the foundation. If this base is fragile, everything else collapses: the quality of exchanges, decision-making, collective commitment and even results.
But be careful:not just any trust.
Lencioni talks about trust based on vulnerability.
It's the ability of a team to say:
«I don't know.»
«I need help.»
«I made a mistake.»
«I can learn from you.»
When this trust exists, it paves the way for :
- from healthy conflicts (we say things, without crushing the other)
- a real commitment (we don't pretend to agree)
- a shared responsibility (we are collectively accountable for the result)
- a results orientation (we move forward, together)
The pillar of trust transforms a group of people into a real team.
When confidence is lacking, dynamics are changing:
Team members no longer show their vulnerabilities.
They take on roles: the competent, the fort, the “everything's fine”, the “I control everything”.
And then :
- avoid difficult subjects
- we bypass productive conflicts
- decisions become lukewarm or slow
- collective energy runs out
- performance erodes
And only 21% of employees say they have full confidence in their managers.
LumApps study, published in DNA (2023).
So we have a real leadership issue on our hands.
If you want to take the pulse of your team, I recommend that you do the Lencioni's 5 dysfunctions test.
In 10 to 15 minutes, it allows you to :
- measure the level of confidence
- identify points of support and areas of tension
- put words (and figures) to perceptions that are often blurred
It's not always comfortable. But it is an excellent starting point to open up essential conversations.
And often... liberating.
Contact me to analyze your results. .
We often hear: «Trust can't be decreed... it takes time.»
And I say: Yes, but how long do you have to achieve your goals?
Because when it comes down to it, it's the lack of confidence that makes you lose it.
Companies with a high level of confidence show :
| Indicator | Results |
| Stress | -74% |
| Energy at work | +106% |
| Productivity | +50% |
| Commitment | +76% |
| Burnout | -40% |
Source : Harvard Business Review, 2025.
Just in case you needed numbers to believe it! not a theoretical concept. It's a strategic performance lever.
When trust is present, we observe:
- More decisions in less time
- Fewer meetings (yes, it feels good!)
- Fewer interpretations, more facts
- More constructive debates (we dare to contradict)
- Creativity (we suggest, we test, we learn)
But above all : people feel good. They are proud to work together.
And that's worth more than any incentive system.
1) Authenticity
Be transparent about what we know and what we don't know.
Immediate practice :
At a future meeting, say → «Here's what I've mastered. Here's what's still unclear to me. Let's help each other clarify.»
2) Logic
Explain your reasoning. Not just say «because that's the way it is».
Immediate practice → When you make a decision, explain why, and for what (for what purpose).
3) Empathy
Show that what happens to others is important to us.
Immediate practice → Start a meeting with :
«How are you today, really?», and really listen.
These micro-gestures transform a team's atmosphere in just a few days.
Because :
- Commitment is no longer automatic. Employees are looking for meaning, autonomy and recognition.
- Innovation is collective. A good idea is rarely born alone. It emerges in spaces where you can dare.
- Organizations need to move fast. And trust reduces friction.
In a team where trust is high: ideas flow → decisions are made faster → action follows → results arrive.
Management controlling or inconsistent
A lack of transparency
A vertical culture where “validation” is expected”
Fear of error (often inherited from school or past experience)
Trust cannot be decreed. It has to be practiced.
Here are some concrete axes and can be activated as of tomorrow:
1) Communicate openly
- Clarify expectations.
- Explain decisions, especially difficult ones.
- Sharing information, rather than withholding it.
2) Adding value to contributions
- Recognize efforts, not just results.
- Celebrate collectively, not just individually.
3) Real empowerment
- Delegate step by space to act.
- Giving autonomy in the way things are done.
- Encourage initiative.
4) Allowing room for mistake
- Standardizing learning.
- Analyze → not blame.
5) Building human relationships
- Take the time to talk, really, not “in-between”.
- Ask questions, be curious
- Sharing vulnerabilities too.
6) Establish a culture of continuous feedback
- Not once a year or once a project
- Continuously, with kindness and high standards.
Immerse yourself in the feedback culture through this article.
7) Leading by example
If you don't, no one will. Trust starts with leadership. It always does.
They :
- Don't leave collaboration to chance
- Keep others informed
- Share credit
- See disagreements as opportunities
- Treat tension before before they explode
These are habits, not personality traits.
A few simple questions to check:
- Do people dare to say what they think in meetings?
- Do they spontaneously ask for help?
- Is it safe to say «I made a mistake»?
- Does management keep its promises?
- And you: do you trust your team?
These questions can already change a team discussion. If the answer is not a clear «yes», there's work to be done.
Trust is not a «human» topic alongside performance. It is at the heart of performance.
And it can be worked on - simply, gradually, methodically.
If you feel your team needs it, that's exactly what I do:
- Diagnosis of the climate of trust
- Team workshops based on authenticity and constructive communication
- Conscious leadership development programs
- Individual coaching for executives or managers
Please contact me. I'd be delighted to explore this with you.