TRUST AND RAPPORT

Trust and rapport between project members/colleagues can be vital in order for the team to work effectively.

Rapport is a positive feeling about a relationship and is like a bridge between two islands, and stronger bridges can
carry heavier trucks. Also, when you have a stronger relationship with someone, you can ask more of them.

Rapport is achieved through two main ways: sharing experiences and building trust.

Shared Experiences

One important component of rapport is having something in common between you and others, such as:

Being committed to the same goals Having similar skills/talents

Sharing the same interests Understanding the same language or
terminology
Having a similar personality or sense of humour Having shared values or taking a similar outlook
on life

Therefore, one way to establish rapport with colleagues is to find interests that you have in common.

You can build rapport personally by listening to them and taking an interest in what they have to say.

Trust and Respect

Another way to establish rapport is to develop trust and respect between team members.

What is trust?

The following exercise will help illustrate the complexity of trust.

Choose three people to think about:

1. a family member

2. a work colleague who you "trust"

3. someone (outside the company) who you do "not trust"

Do you trust this person enough to... Family Colleague Someone

member else
Lend them a large sum of money (eg: over $100) without
question
Share a close personal secret (eg: when planning to resign to
join another company)
Lend them my car while I am away on business or holiday
Rely on them to meet a deadline that is very important to me
without chasing or checking
Admit to them when I have made a major mistake
Trust Score (no of ticks in each column

Then consider for each person whether you trust them with each of the things listed in the left hand column, below.
Tick each box where to indicate where you trust them. Leave the box blank if you would not trust them, or are not
sure.