1. 27-31/05/2015 By Milda Musteikyte

2. Successful teamwork is built on a foundation of trust. Each member of the team must establish trust, cultivate trust through his actions and words, and work to maintain it. Each member also needs to be able to trust his team members to make a commitment to the team and its goals, work competently with those goals in mind, and communicate consistently about any issues that affect the team. Here are some of the basics on trust within a team.

4. Commitment Commitment is an important part of trust. Every team member must commit to helping teammates meet the goals of the team, no matter if personal or professional obstacles present themselves. Team members must be able to rely on one another to do their part of the team's work without fail.

6. Competence Team members must trust that their teammates are competent and can successfully complete the tasks relevant to the team's success. For example, each team member should be able to focus on an assigned task without worrying about teammates following through with their assigned tasks. When team members show vulnerability to their teammates and the teammates respond in an efficient and helpful manner, trust will grow between them.

8. Communication Consistent and meaningful communication is necessary for a trusting relationship within a team. For instance, if a team member finishes a task early, he should communicate to his teammates that he is finished and ask if he can help another team member with her part of the work. Team members who receive communication from other team members should always respond to confirm that they have received the information to build trust.

10. Collaboration True collaboration won't happen without a sense of trust between team members. When team members collaborate, they share creative ideas without fear that another team member will take credit for their ideas. A team member who feels he/she is in a trusting team environment may be more willing to bring up concerns that are relevant to the team's goals or its members. A collaborative and trusting team environment allows team members to share personal information and develop a stronger bond with their teammates.

12. So, trust is an essential element in team productivity. Without it,you are unlikely to get anything meaningful done. But with it, team can accomplish everything they set out to do and more.