No matter their lifespan, projects need people to trust each other. I agree with Simon Sinek: “Trust emerges when we have a sense that another person or organisation is driven by things other than their personal gain”.

Members of a project team – be it a NASA project or a local community street cleaning project – need to trust each other. And trust is a feeling. It can be individual or shared. It comes from

– knowing that someone has your back,

– believing that your team mates will deliver on time their part and that you’ll take it from there and move it forward.

– being certain that they will show up.

– having faith that they will tell you in good faith when you make a mistake.

Trust comes slowly and evaporates in the blink of an eye.

Does it mean that when there is trust between members of the team, there is no conflict? Not at all. Pat Lencioni answers it well: “When there is trust, conflict is nothing but the pursuit of truth. Without trust, conflict is just politics”. And no one well-meaning wants politics in projects.