How to Supercharge Your Team's Trust Battery (Exercise)

Learn to evaluate and improve trust levels among team members with this insightful exercise

"Can I trust you?"

This is the question we’re all always asking, consciously or not. Trust is the foundation of all human interactions. Without it, we avoid taking risks or sharing our thoughts – both of which are crucial for team collaboration.

Most team members have a different approach to trust. The “trust battery” metaphor perfectly illustrates this dynamic. This concept, popularized by Tobi Lütke, CEO of Shopify, explains how we start new relationships and how our colleagues’ actions can charge or deplete our battery.

Through my work helping organizations build fearless cultures, I often observe how everyone’s trust battery operates differently. Some people start with a full battery, others with an empty one. For some team members, trust accumulates slowly over time, while others charge or deplete theirs way too quickly.

The Trust Battery exercise helps team members understand their approach to trust, find common ground, and identify areas for improvement. Here’s how I apply it with …