We have had a lot of turnover on our leadership team over the past year, and the constant changes have left the remaining members feeling insecure and defensive. How do we rebuild a foundation of trust so they feel safe enough to collaborate and challenge each other again?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When a leadership team experiences high turnover, it shatters the psychological safety of the remaining members. They stop focusing on solving problems and start focusing on self-preservation. To rebuild a foundation of trust, you must address the instability head-on and slow down to go fast.

Start by opening your next quarterly planning session with a honest conversation about the changes. Do not pretend it is business as usual. Acknowledge that the transition has been exhausting and state clearly that the current team in the room is the team you are building the future with.

Next, focus on rebuilding vulnerability-based trust. You can use simple tools like the personal histories exercise. Have everyone share where they grew up, how many siblings they have, and their first job. This breaks down defensive walls and reminds everyone of their shared humanity.

You must also establish clear expectations around healthy conflict. Remind the team that cracks at the leadership level appear as canyons to the rest of the organization. If the leaders are defensive and holding back, their departments will follow suit.

Commit to a disciplined Level 10 Meeting cadence and stick to your V/TO. Consistency breeds safety. When your team sees that the weekly rhythm is stable and that they can debate issues without personal consequences, their defenses will naturally drop and they will start collaborating again.