Opinion: ‘Teachable Moments’ and Building Trust in IT Teams

Trust is one of the most essential elements in developing and maintaining an effective team. For new managers as well as seasoned professionals, the most effective technique in developing sustainable trust can be elusive.

I was once asked to manage a team as an IT director. One portion of the team was responsible for the help desk, a challenging position. The group generally worked well together, but there were periods of dissention and untrustworthiness with some of the staff. As a trained instructional designer, I looked carefully for opportunities and potential problems. I considered goals, objectives, resources, evaluations and pathways for revision.

WHAT MAKES YOUR TEAM TICK

One of the first things I did was plan for a daylong retreat. Having coffee and food always helps to “grease the skids.” Before the retreat I had each staffer fill out the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), a personality test that helps people understand how they make decisions and receive information. In addition, I asked a series of questions probing the staff’s perceptions on leadership, management, and group-individual teamwork preferences. I had a general idea of the team dynamics, but defining the individual personalities was intended to help me understand the makeup of the team, and then compare and match these specific traits among co-workers. Holding a retreat seemed like the best method to identify and map out my team’s status. According to a November 2022 article on company retreats from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s website, “Research consistently shows holding a company retreat can benefit your employees and encourage stronger team collaboration.”

During the retreat, each staff member talked about their own personal traits, likes and dislikes at work, and whether they preferred working as an individual or in teams. In these discussions, it became apparent that productive staff members who tended to work more as individuals were less likely to share, but noted they could work in a team environment.

THE TEST

Afterward, a moment arrived to demonstrate my hypothesis that an individual mindset can disrupt a team. One afternoon as I was leaving my office, one of the employees waved to me and asked if they could rearrange a few things at the help desk to make things more efficient. As I went out the door, I remember saying, “Well, if there are some ‘small’ things you can do, sure, go ahead.”

When I returned later that day, I walked past the help desk and was shocked to see everything had been rearranged, with desks disassembled and other items discarded. Shell-shocked at the change, I noticed the employee who made the recommendation was the only staff person doing the work, along with a few students. The team was not present.

I walked to my office, sat down and wondered how long it would take the employee to come and explain the “new look.” The hours clicked by. I called my CIO and informed him of the major remodeling of the help desk area and asked him not to get involved. I said this could be a “teachable moment” and recommended we see it to its logical and successful conclusion. He agreed, saying, “Whatever you say, I will follow your lead.” This was a good example of mutual trust.

THE REVELATION

As I was leaving for the day, I walked past the help desk. The employee saw me and proudly exclaimed, “Well, what do you think? Doesn’t this look great?” Hesitating, I said, “I thought this would be a minor change, not a complete remodel.” I asked if there had been any consultation with co-workers, perhaps with the help desk team. He said he just felt this would be the most effective and efficient layout. I responded by saying, “Thanks for your hard work, but please put everything back as close as it was before.” As I continued out the door, the words of Helen Keller came to mind: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

THE NEXT DAY

As the staff returned the following day, they exclaimed at the dramatic change, as most pieces of furniture had been moved back but others were gone, and the misalignment of the remaining pieces exposed deep carpeting indentations and dirty spots. I first talked to the employee responsible about what had transpired, stressing the importance of working as a team. Then I explained the situation to the entire staff, again emphasizing the importance of making decisions as a team.

UNEXPECTED BENEFITS

After additional discussions and performance reviews, this “teachable moment” led to a deeper understanding of what it means to work as a team and to develop mutual trust. This change did not happen overnight, but over a period of weeks. The employee and team members began to think differently about how each individual thinks and acts, and this provided a clearer path to understanding team dynamics. Openly discussing the potential pitfalls of acting with an individual focus illustrated the possible problems, especially when trying to create a vibrant team atmosphere. Communicating openly with individual staff members and the entire team promotes buy-in.

In the end, this experience led to team involvement in obtaining new lighting, carpeting, ergonomic furniture and updated computer stations. Each staff member provided input and suggestions throughout the process, and we extended this invitation to the student workers. One important thing I’ve learned over the years is to ask a specific question at planning meetings: “Who wasn’t at the meeting last time, but should have been invited for their input?” Ask this question every time and it will lead to better trust and team decisions.

TRUST IS ESSENTIAL

Team trust, both in IT and throughout higher education’s internal and external audiences, is essential. This mantra needs to flow throughout the fabric of your campus. As summarized in an October 2022 blog post by Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning, “according to a study in Harvard Business Review, people at high-trust companies report 74 percent less stress, 106 percent more energy at work, 50 percent higher productivity, 13 percent fewer sick days, 76 percent more engagement, 29 percent more satisfaction with their lives, and 40 percent less burnout than people at low-trust companies.” Trust certainly is a must. You just need to make the proper investment, and you will yield many future dividends.