Practical People Skills for Building Trust on Teams and with Partners

Key Insights

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  The trust equation breaks trust into credibility, reliability, intimacy, and low self-orientation, providing a practical tool for trust-building.

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  Delivering results consistently, summarized as delivery equals trust, is critical to maintain reliability and build trust in government projects.

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  Empathy and kindness are foundational people skills that enable creating safe spaces and fostering participation within complex teams.

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  Honesty, even when delivering difficult truths about a project, sustains trust when done respectfully and backed by evidence.

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  Code-switching and adaptability from diverse personal backgrounds enhance listening skills and relationship-building in government environments.

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  Discovery sprints serve as trust-building exercises by involving partners early and collaboratively in problem understanding and solution ideation.

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  Traditional ‘throwing over the fence’ procurement approaches fail; collaborative procurement teams improve trust and outcomes.

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  Relationship maintenance requires intentional effort, similar to personal friendships, including regular check-ins and leveraging multiple communication channels.

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  Understanding individual circumstances and meeting people where they are increases warmth and connection in professional relationships.

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  Trust-building is layered, requiring care not only between people but also between people and work, and between work entities.

Notable Quotes