Building Trust Among Team Members with Insights Discovery
- meganjbrummel
- Apr 7
- 3 min read
If you’ve ever been part of a truly high-performing team, you know it feels like magic. Ideas flow, everyone brings their best to the table, and even challenges are met with collective determination. But if you peel back the layers, you’ll find that this kind of collaboration is no accident—it’s built on one critical foundation: trust.
Trust allows team members to be vulnerable, share their thoughts openly, and engage in real conversations. It’s the secret ingredient that turns a group of individuals into a cohesive, innovative force. Without trust, teams often fall into "fake civility," where people hold back their real thoughts, nod politely, and let resentment fester under the surface. It’s a quick way to derail progress and morale.
So how do you build trust in a team?
Enter Insights Discovery. This tool goes beyond the surface to help teams understand one another’s unique styles, preferences, and motivations; creating a culture where trust can flourish.
Why Trust Matters More Than Ever
Trust isn’t just a "nice to have;" it’s the bedrock of any team that aims to achieve big things.
Think about it: in a trusted environment, team members feel safe to say, “Hey, I have an idea, but I’m not sure if it’ll work” or “I’m struggling with this—can you help?” That openness leads to more ideas, better solutions, and stronger innovation.
On the flip side, when trust is lacking, people keep their thoughts to themselves. The team might look like it’s running smoothly on the outside, but inside, you’ve got people holding back frustrations, second-guessing each other, and playing it safe. It’s exhausting, leads to trying to read into what’s NOT being said (a perfect environment for misunderstandings and incorrect assumptions), and it’s ineffective.
I’ve seen both sides of this dynamic in my work, and let me tell you, a team that trusts one another is a force to be reckoned with. That’s why tools like Insights Discovery are so powerful—because they provide a roadmap for understanding and valuing each team member’s unique contributions.
How Insights Discovery Builds Trust
Insights Discovery starts with a simple premise: we’re all wired differently. Some of us thrive on action and results (hello, Fiery Red energy), while others find their stride in collaboration and empathy (Earth Green energy, I see you). By breaking down these preferences into four color energies—Fiery Red, Sunshine Yellow, Earth Green, and Cool Blue—Insights gives teams a shared language to discuss personality and behavior.
Here’s how this understanding translates into trust:
1. Self-Awareness Breeds Openness
When team members take the Insights assessment, they learn about their own strengths, blind spots, and communication preferences. This self-awareness makes it easier to own up to mistakes or say, “This is how I’m feeling about the project,” because they understand their tendencies and triggers.
2. Appreciation of Differences
Insights helps teams see that “different” isn’t wrong—it’s valuable. For instance, the person who loves spreadsheets (Cool Blue) might seem overly detail-focused to someone who thrives on brainstorming (Sunshine Yellow). But when both understand how their styles complement each other, they’re more likely to lean into collaboration rather than judgment and frustration.
3. Clarity Around Expectations
Trust often falters when expectations aren’t clear. Insights Discovery provides a framework to talk openly about what team members need to feel supported. For example, someone with a lot of Earth Green energy might say, “I do my best work when I feel heard,” while a Fiery Red colleague might share, “I value quick decisions and direct feedback.” These conversations set the stage for mutual respect and ways for team members to work through how to meet each other’s needs.
Building a Culture of Trust with Insights Discovery
When teams commit to understanding each other’s styles and preferences, they’re not just improving their communication skills—they’re laying the groundwork for trust. And with trust in place, the possibilities are endless: more innovation, better problem-solving, and a team that genuinely enjoys working together.
If you’re ready to move past "fake civility" and build a team that thrives on openness and respect, Insights Discovery is a powerful place to start. Because at the end of the day, trust isn’t just about getting along—it’s about unlocking the full potential of every person at the table and creating an environment where challenging each other’s ideas to create better solutions is welcome.
Let’s make that happen!
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