Systems changework is no ordinary job. Making the kind of moves that will actually shift our crumbling systems for the better takes guts. Grit. Willingness to disrupt the entrenched status quo. And, relationships that can handle the emotional rodeo that ensues!

One of the many things we’ve learned from researching at the intersection of the performing arts and systems change is: 

As our team prepares to launch our online program for systems change leaders who are ready to build world-changing ensembles, I’m intensely aware of how important it is to have a trusting team. We’ve built trust with each other through many rounds of success, breakdown, and repair in our relationships.

When we have conversations about trust on our own team and with our clients, we like to use a set of reflection questions to help us deepen our understanding of ourselves and each other. The prompts are very simple, but the conversations they invoke are anything but!

Trust is…

I am most able to be trusting when…

I am least able to be trusting when…

I am most able to trust myself when…

I am least able to trust myself when…

Together we can cultivate trust by…

Use these prompts to examine your own relationship with trust, then share your key insights with your team.

If you prioritize building trust with your team, you can ride out the emotional rodeos with more grace and elevate your ability to fulfill your mission together.