If you are part of a software development team, building software is not your highest priority, building trust is. it doesn’t matter whether you are a consulting company, you sell your software products to external customers, or you are part of an internal IT team within a broad organization, the stakes are the same, the stakeholders are simply different.
In recent years, building brand trust has become a core focus of successful companies. Apple is a great example of a brand that has built exceptional trust. They’ve convinced us that their products are easy to use, seamlessly integrated, reliable, and private and secure. We believe that buying the next iPhone is a smart choice. Not only will transferring phones be an easy and seamless experience, we believe that Apple is on the forefront of technology, so we will get the same quality experience, only so much better!
In his book The Speed of Trust, Stephen Covey describes trust:
“Simply put, trust means confidence. The opposite of trust – distrust – is suspicion. When you trust people, you have confidence in them – in their integrity and their abilities. When you distrust people, you are suspicious of them – of their integrity, their agenda, their capabilities, or their track record. It’s that simple.”
The Speed of Trust, Stephen Covey
High performing teams build exceptional trust through consistent delivery of useful software. They have a track record of success. They build exactly what their stakeholders need. They live up to their promises and are always open to suggestion. They build a trustworthy brand of their own.
This trust helps cushion the blow if the team fails to deliver in a sprint. It empowers the team and all stakeholders to provide honest feedback without fear of repercussion. It gives the team breathing room to take technical risks that could pay dividends in the future. I’ve helped many teams come back from the brink of failure and achieve previously unimaginable success by simply rebuilding trust.
My recent article series will guide you through the pillars and foundation necessary to build a high performing team and create the level of trust you’ve been looking for:
- Stakeholders: the first pillar of high performing teams
- Feedback: getting the software right the “first” time
- Workflow: the who, what, and when of efficient development
- Delivery: the moment your team creates value
- Product Vision is the Foundation of a Successful Agile Team
Is your software development team performing at its peak? We can help! Schedule a free consultation to find out more.