Getting Started With the Team Trust Canvas. Team Forming

Real business cases and examples are the most important and awaited outcomes from any workshops. It is not a secret students expect examples from trainers and trainers encourage participants to share own patterns of success. During last several weeks I got a lot of questions and requests about the Trust Toolbox and, in particular, about the Team Trust Canvas. People are interested in how to apply this tool more efficiently, which patterns we already have and use. And today I’m going to start a series of articles describing different examples, cases and practical tips how different teams have implemented the Team Trust Canvas.

Case #1. Team Forming

Let’s start from scratch. Imagine, you are responsible for team forming process. Maybe, you are going to start a new project or just decided to rearrange existent teams. It doesn’t matter. It is important that you try to figure out how to operate with new people, how to build new bonds and connections and how to overcome new possible conflicts. Probably, you know that a lack of trust is one of dysfunction, which can destroy your team. At that rate, you are going to pay attention in order to grow trust into your new team. What can you do?

You can organize a liftoff meeting using the Team Trust Canvas.

1. Introduction

Explain to the team that this session will explore Trust and look at what each team member brings to the team and how they can improve working together. During this session you can use different creative techniques (lego, pictures and etc) to shift their thinking and help them to generate different insights.

2. What is Trust?

In order to build a common vision just ask participants to discuss what is Trust for them. Which words can they use to describe it? Which factors will they apply in order improve it? Using different profound questions you can help them to find necessary connections for such a complicated topic.

3.Trust in action

Present participants the Team Trust Canvas. Shortly describe all blocks and factors which are essential for team trust. Clarify how they can work with a canvas – the ground rules:

• Find your way. They can start from any blocks.
• Write on stickers.
• Don’t use a bullet points. Write one action/idea per sticker.
• Use different colors.

Ask them to make an effort to explore which actions and agreements will be necessary to improve the trust climate. Encourage them to discover and formulate concrete actions for each blocks not abstract things. Facilitate and don’t forget to focus on the question area. Indeed, it is important to remove any limits and restrictions for the team. Let them try to find their own way to built trust. Allow 30 minutes for this to occur and then ask for reflections. Note what is said on the flipchart.

4. Trust in consistency

Finalize your meeting with a group discussion on what emerges. Define together when you will come back to the canvas and how you will estimate results.

5. Examples

Below you will find some examples which we generated together with our clients. Be careful, don’t anchor your team.

Clarity	Results demo Daily stand-up Key points discuss together
Connection	Sharing same space Meet the client Kick-of team building activities
Compassion	Retrospectives
Value	Respect Privacy Split roles
Competence	Code review Spread authority Pair programming Knowledge sharing
Commitment	Lessons learned Define milestones
Contribution	Definition of done Result acknowledgment
Consistence	Face-to face communications Continuous delivery
? (what else ….)	Motivate by bringing new challenges