Trust Building and Resilience

Build trust that holds up when the team hits a setback

Why It Matters

Every team faces setbacks: a lost contract, a failed launch, budget cuts, leadership turnover. How they recover depends on the trust already in place. Where trust is low, people protect themselves, blame spreads, and recovery stalls. Where it is strong, teams speak honestly about what went wrong and regroup. Building trust deliberately, and knowing how to repair it, gives organizations teams that bounce back faster and keep their best people through difficult periods.

Course Description

Two linked themes run through the course. First, trust: participants examine its components, such as reliability, competence, candor, and care, and assess where their team is strong or fragile. They practice trust-building behaviors and a structured conversation for repairing trust after a broken commitment. Second, resilience: the group looks at how teams respond to setbacks and practices a simple after-action review that focuses on learning rather than blame. Discussion explores how leaders and peers can support one another during prolonged pressure or change. Teams work with a recent real or realistic setback to apply both themes. Participants leave with trust commitments for their team and a recovery routine to use the next time something goes wrong.

Key Focus Areas

Participants explore and practice:

Components of trust: reliability, competence, candor, and care
Everyday behaviors that build or erode team trust
Repairing trust after a broken commitment
Running a blame-free after-action review
Supporting teammates through setbacks and prolonged change

Learning Outcomes

Participants will be able to:

Assess their team's trust across key components
Lead a conversation to repair trust after a broken commitment
Facilitate a blame-free after-action review of a setback
Identify team routines that support recovery during difficult periods

Who Should Attend

Intact teams recovering from setbacks or change
Team leads and managers
Project teams after a difficult delivery
Organizations going through restructuring

Delivery and Customization

Examples, scenarios, and activities are adapted to your audience and goals. Delivery is available in person, virtually, or in a hybrid format, as a standalone session or as part of a series. Format and length are agreed during scoping.

Related Courses

Building High-Performance Teams · Teamwork, Culture & Inclusion
Change Management · Leadership & Management
Accountability in the Workplace · Leadership & Management
Crisis Management · Strategy & Problem Solving

Bring Trust Building and Resilience to your team

Tell us about your audience and goals. We will follow up to scope objectives, format, and timing.

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