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Trust is the glue of any high-performing team.
We talk a lot about tools, processes, and technical excellence in software engineering, but there’s one thing we don’t often discuss enough: trust. Without it, even the most advanced tools can’t prevent a team from experiencing missed deadlines, confusion, or burnout. Creating an environment where people feel safe enough to take risks, make mistakes, and admit when they don’t know something sets the stage for leaps in innovation.
Trust as a driver of engineering performance
Trust plays a critical role in driving performance. When engineers trust one another and leadership, they’re more likely to share ideas openly, speak up when something seems off, and lean on each other when unsure. This openness helps accelerate collaboration and problem-solving.
According to the most recent State of DevOps Report (SODR), organizations with high-trust cultures deploy code 208 times more frequently and recover from incidents 2,604 times faster compared to low-trust organizations.
Westrum’s Organizational Model referenced in the SODR breaks down company cultures into three types: pathological (low trust), bureaucratic (moderate trust), and generative (high trust). High-trust environments are personified by cooperation and shared responsibility, leading to teams that achieve better results. These cultures also see a 50% lower change failure rate, highlighting how trust can improve delivery.
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An MTTR case study
The introduction of trust into a team I led had a significant impact on the average mean time to recovery (MTTR) of 2.3 days. In an industry where every minute of downtime has real financial consequences, this was a significant issue.
With so many technical hurdles, we needed engineers to feel comfortable saying, “I don’t know,” without fear of blame or ridicule. Cross-functional and team communication underwent improvements to build trust, through regular updates to our partners on our progress and challenges. This transparency led to better collaboration between teams, and faster response times, meaning teams were able to act quickly on shared information.
As a team, we worked together to create the necessary documentation and systems to address identified knowledge gaps. Engineers felt more supported because they were contributing to each other’s success.
Within a few months, our MTTR was down to 45 minutes. The key wasn’t just about implementing better tools – it was about trust.
Actionable strategies for building trust
Building trust doesn’t happen overnight, but leaders can take specific actions to foster it. Here’s how to approach building trust, starting with leadership actions and working down to team-level practices.
Lead by example
As a leader, you set the tone. If you want your team to trust each other, they need to see you being open and vulnerable. Acknowledging mistakes, sharing learning experiences, and letting your team know that it’s okay not to have all the answers can encourage others to follow suit. According to Harvard Business Review, teams with leaders who model vulnerability and inclusivity are 35% more likely to outperform their peers in terms of business outcomes.
Be clear about performance expectations
Clarity is essential. Engineers benefit from knowing what’s expected of them and how their performance will be assessed. When people have a clear understanding of their role and their growth path, they’re more likely to feel secure and take calculated risks. High-performing teams with clear expectations tend to see a 23% improvement in employee retention and 30% higher performance ratings.
Provide a career ladder that communicates what’s expected for each role and level, and make sure your team has an understanding of the performance assessment process. Make performance expectations well-documented, transparent, and regularly communicated.
Get input and act on it
Trust builds when people feel heard. Create a culture where feedback isn’t just collected – it’s acted upon. Whether through 1:1s, skip-level meetings, or engagement surveys, regularly gather input from your team. But it’s equally important to be transparent about what feedback you will or won’t act on and communicate progress. Teams that regularly act on feedback report a 29% increase in employee satisfaction and are 12% more likely to hit performance goals, according to the SODR.
Build a data-driven culture
Default to making decisions based on data. A data-driven culture builds trust by making decision-making transparent and objective. It also helps reduce bias, ensuring that decisions are fair and grounded in evidence. High-trust, data-driven organizations are two times more likely to exceed their financial performance targets.
By letting data guide your team’s direction and consistently measuring outcomes, you can foster a culture of transparency and trust.
Build an inclusive culture
It’s crucial to ensure that all voices are heard and that work is distributed equitably. Address any behavior that goes against the culture you’re trying to build immediately, as inaction can quickly erode trust.
Trust also drives inclusivity in multiple forms, which impacts performance. From a DEI perspective, inclusivity helps address social disparities by ensuring people from all backgrounds feel valued, while, more broadly, an inclusive team dynamic amplifies a sense of belonging and encourages open collaboration. Both are important, and both should be present in a team’s culture. Creating a safe environment where people can show up authentically allows them to feel comfortable sharing their ideas. When team members trust their input will be respected, they’re more likely to willingly contribute diverse perspectives, leading to a stronger team. A Harvard Business Review study found that inclusive teams show a 20% increase in employee engagement and are 35% more likely to innovate effectively. When people feel heard and valued, they’re more likely to contribute their best ideas and collaborate openly.
Encouraging open dialogue and creating spaces for everyone to contribute can help foster inclusion and trust. Practice active listening and lead with curiosity. Acknowledge all contributions, provide materials to let your team prepare for discussions ahead of time, and ensure meetings aren’t dominated by the same people so that everyone has a chance to speak up.
Final thoughts
Trust is a key factor in building a high-performing, resilient team. By focusing on cultivating a culture of trust, teams are likely to see improvements not only in productivity and performance but also in morale and innovation.
Small steps like leading by example, clarifying expectations, and acting on feedback can begin to build trust over time. As trust grows, so does the team’s ability to collaborate openly, tackle bigger challenges, and achieve better outcomes together.
