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Strategies on Building Trust Between Teams – Setting Intention

We are so excited to be following up from our presentation for the 2022 iSeries Conference How to Engage Across Fields as a Research Administrator and will be sharing a series of articles in upcoming issues of the Catalyst to promote professional development and practical application. 

In this article, we are sharing Strategies of Building Trust Between Teams. Building trust between teams begins with intentional planning. In sequential installments, we will cover other strategies in more detail, but first we begin with a simple, foundational step – setting your intentions. 

The first step in intention setting is preparation. Grab your favorite beverage, notepad, and find a place where you can think. 

Next, think about the project or task you are working on. Outline the resources and timeline you have to get this work done. Consider next steps and when the work needs to be completed. Write this down. 

Then, look back at the work that needs to be done and think who are the people/teams/departments that you need to partner with to get the work done. These are your stakeholders in the process, and we will consider these stakeholders as the team you need to collaborate with. 

Take a sip of your favorite beverage and review your notes. At this point, you have defined the work and the stakeholders that are involved in this process. 

The next step is to consider how and when to involve these stakeholders in the process. Review the steps you outlined and make notes next to each task. Note “I” for tasks that you can do independently and “S/T” for tasks that need stakeholder and/or team involvement. 

Before engaging other stakeholders and teams in this process, consider applying the IREC method as a strategy.

• I- Intention – Set an intention for communication with the stakeholder/team. What are you asking them to do/be part of? When does this work need to be done?
• R- Recognition – Acknowledge and appreciate the contributions and expertise the stakeholder/team adds to the process.
• E- Empathy – Put yourself in their position, see things from the other persons/team’s point of view. Listen to and consider their unique perspective.
• C- Curiosity – Stay open and seek to understand. Again, listen without judgment. End the conversation or meeting with gratitude (“I appreciate our conversation today” …”Thank you for connecting with me”, or “Thank you for your contribution, here is what I took away from today that was valuable.” etc.). 

Now you are ready to reach out and discuss the project you are working on with the stakeholders/teams that you identified on your list. Schedule time to connect with them and use the IREC method in your conversation. You build trust through effective and meaningful communication. 

Once you have connected with the stakeholder teams, go back to your initial outline and update this. Send a follow-up email to the stakeholders/teams you connected with and thank them for their contribution to the discussion. Outline any items they agreed to work with you on and the timeline. 

Congratulations! By setting intention through preparation and applying the IREC method, you have built trust in others and are well on your way to completing your project. 

In our next several installments we will be highlighting the following competencies needed to successfully engage across Fields as a Research Administrator:

• Priming for Positive as a Research Administrator for Successful Engagement
• Cultivating Inclusivity
• Active Listening as a Research Administrator for Successful Engagement
• Effective Communication for Challenging Conversations
• Defining the Need for Effective Communication in a Team
• What does Engagement really look like in Research Administration?
• Seeking Mutual Benefits: Fostering Shared Goals and Interests in a Team
• Case Studies in Transformative Trust Building
• Reframe Challenges to Opportunities and Growth
• Staying Motivated and Keeping the Team Motivated for Successful Project Completion 

We would love to hear from you. What did you think about this article? Are there other topics you would like to learn more about? Please leave a comment and let us know.

Authored by

Olumuyiwa Moses Desmennu, International Centre for Education Evaluation
Institute of Education, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Tracy Engels, Collaborative Partners Initiative

Angela Silva, Collaborative Partners Initiative

Drew Ebersole and Sherry Hammond, Accel180