Read the statements below and decide whether they are TRUE (T) or FALSE (F).
Trust is the key to teamwork in the best teams and relationships. To be able to anticipate what is going to happen during a play or a relationship, you need to be able to trust the other person. A quarterback is not going to throw the ball in advance to a receiver if he does not trust that the receiver knows the route and will be there for it. A relationship cannot progress without trust.
Many people struggle with this, especially if they have been hurt in past relationships. Trust is not something that is just freely given. It is something that is earned. This is true both in relationships and in teams. The teamwork definition that we discussed was “the combined action of a group of people.” When people do not trust each other, it is very difficult to get them to work together to accomplish something. In a relationship, if you don’t feel like you can trust the other person, you are going to be unwilling to go to a deeper level with them. If the other person doesn’t feel like they can trust you, it’s going to be your job to earn their trust.
Earning trust is something that happens over time. In a sports team, it happens in practice. Players who practice running play together, so they can build confidence in themselves and in each other’s abilities. There is no practice in relationships. Instead, you build trust by proving yourself time and time again. It’s following through on what you say you’re going to do.
You need to trust others in teamwork to anticipate what is going to happen