Building Trust: A Foundation for Team Success
At the recent LMASE RISE event in Charleston, in addition to connecting with colleagues in the legal industry, we were also fortunate to learn from a number of seasoned professionals who have all had great success in their careers.
The event kicked off with a keynote from Tracy Lalonde, founder of Joychiever. She shared powerful insights on how trust serves as the cornerstone of thriving teams. One of her most memorable takeaways was the concept of creating “Trust Musts.”
A “Trust Must” is a personal or collective list of behaviors that foster confidence, accountability, and openness within a team. Tracy encouraged participants to identify their own trust needs and discuss them with colleagues, or, better yet, to develop a shared list as a group exercise. This practice helps illuminate what each person values most when working effectively together.
Examples of “Trust Musts” include openly sharing information, regularly brainstorming together, avoiding side conversations that weaken confidence, offering the benefit of the doubt, and resisting the urge to micromanage. Every team member may have slightly different needs, and expressing them helps build a foundation of mutual respect and understanding.
And while mistakes are inevitable, what matters most is how we handle them. Owning missteps and making thoughtful corrections not only restores trust but can actually strengthen it, much like the service recovery paradox in client relationships, where a well-managed recovery can deepen loyalty.
As we continue to lead and support one another, taking time to define our own “Trust Musts” — and living by them — can transform how we connect, collaborate, and succeed as a team.