Which statement best describes the relationship between trust and performance in a team?

Which statement best describes the relationship between trust and performance in a team?

• A. Trust builds through forming and norming, leading to high performance in performing.
• B. Trust is irrelevant to performance.
• C. Performance worsens as trust grows.
• D. High performance occurs before any trust is formed.

Answer: (A)

Trust grows as a team moves through the early stages of forming and norming, when people get to know each other, clarify roles, and establish norms. As this happens, team members feel safer to share ideas, give and receive feedback, and coordinate their efforts without fearing negative judgments. That open, reliable, collaborative environment—the result of growing trust—lets the team perform more effectively, because communication is clear, accountability is shared, and mutual support is easy to give. When the team reaches the performing stage, high performance naturally follows from this foundation of trust. The other ideas miss how teamwork actually works: trust isn’t irrelevant to performance; performance doesn’t worsen as trust grows; and high performance typically doesn’t precede any trust being formed.

Trust grows as a team moves through the early stages of forming and norming, when people get to know each other, clarify roles, and establish norms. As this happens, team members feel safer to share ideas, give and receive feedback, and coordinate their efforts without fearing negative judgments. That open, reliable, collaborative environment—the result of growing trust—lets the team perform more effectively, because communication is clear, accountability is shared, and mutual support is easy to give. When the team reaches the performing stage, high performance naturally follows from this foundation of trust.

The other ideas miss how teamwork actually works: trust isn’t irrelevant to performance; performance doesn’t worsen as trust grows; and high performance typically doesn’t precede any trust being formed.