Your team is feeling betrayed after a project setback. How will you earn back their trust?

In addition to acknowledging and validating your team's feelings, it's equally important to uplift their morale and motivation. This can be done by keeping them empowered on the same tasks and seek further input from the team on potential solutions. This also helps enhance the trust.

Simply I would do is to sit with my team, making them aware win and loss are part of life and it should not affect the moral and self belief of our capabilities. If any project did not go well, let’s identify what was in our control? What went wrong and how we would learn and do better. Rising again equipped with learning’s from failure will ensure success of future projects. This will encourage the team and most importantly the feeling of care and support to learn and grow.

Empathy and hearing out the team in a constructive way is paramount. Most people already feel so bad when a mistake or setback happens -no need to hammer the team more. Best thing is to listen and ask open ended questions. Also equally important to turn into a valuable learning moment. Most people will feel an even more safe space reaction if one takes this leadership stance !

Taking thread from Shantanu post and weaving the discussion ahead .. i would count on weighted average success rate. One project could have gone wrong but it is irrelevant to over shadow the past performance by team. Motivated team will have higher EQ portion at work and thereby Dopamine ( happy hormone) level would always facilitate to focus better. I would rather make the failed project as case study and split it into Dos and don’ts learning.

Communication is the key to everything. I believe communication is a new currency. Before communicating be sure to check yourself. Check your thoughts, feelings and emotions. Whether we know it or not, people are paying attention to us. Not only are people paying attention to what you say, how do you say and the way your body is giving off energy it’s also being watched. Before communicating listen effectively. Show some emotional intelligence empathy, and concern. While listening, that will be an opportunity to teach a very valuable lesson. One must be patient with themselves and others in order for this opportunity to show itself.

Share the details of the setback transparently. Honest communication fosters an environment of trust and keeps everyone informed, reducing the potential for rumors or misunderstandings.

There is no magic wand that can reverse a setback or restore trust. But Own the setback, explain the why and make a plan for moving forward. Always acknowledge the contributions of the team

It's crucial to take responsibility for any mistakes and avoid blaming others. Showing credibility at the bad times and owning up to errors shows your team that you're accountable and demonstrates strong leadership. When team members see you taking responsibility, they're more likely to trust you again, knowing you're committed to doing the right thing. Instead of blaming each other and keep on repeating the same mistake.

While there's no instant solution to undo a setback or rebuild trust, the key lies in owning the mistake, providing a clear explanation, and developing a plan to move forward. It's essential to recognize the team's efforts and ensure they are part of the recovery process. This approach not only addresses the issue but also fosters a culture of accountability and collaboration.

Involving your team in planning to move forward is one of the most critical aspects of future planning. Working together builds trust by setting shared goals and commitments. This collaborative approach shows that you value their input and trust them to help guide the project back on track. It also boosts morale and trust by giving everyone a sense of ownership. If you wish to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together!

Juntos, analizaremos lo que salió mal y cómo podemos evitar que se repita. Invitaré a cada miembro a compartir sus ideas y sugerencias, fomentando un ambiente de colaboración. Desarrollaremos un plan conjunto para retomar el proyecto, estableciendo metas claras y roles definidos. Este proceso no solo nos permitirá corregir el rumbo, sino también fortalecerá nuestro sentido de unidad y propósito. Aseguraré que todos se sientan escuchados y valorados, reafirmando mi compromiso con el éxito colectivo.

Some of the best learnings come from setbacks and while we don’t look for failure, if we’re open and honest, it can be the greatest source of both connection and growth. Owning the mistakes as a team is the first step toward uniting as a team for what comes next. Start with a post-op, identifying the successes and challenges that led to the setback. Then, put together a game plan for the future with each team member having an opportunity to imagine and contribute to a stronger path forward.

Give them a clear picture of the results and take a future action plan and keep them involved in the processes. Planning together creates both sense of ownership and builds trust. This way they will take more responsibility and will be more vigilant about the actions they're going to make.

Engage all the project team members and conduct a thorough evaluation of the project. Identify all the gaps and areas for improvement that can be implemented in future projects. The team can regain their trust and confidence when they manage to move on and achieve improvement in future projects. Support and guidance from top management will definitely provide an added boost.

To maintain momentum, it’s essential to set proximate goals—short-term targets that are within reach. These immediate objectives keep the team focused and provide clear markers of progress. By achieving these smaller goals, the team can see tangible evidence of success, which boosts morale and maintains motivation. Proximate goals also help in adjusting strategies as needed, ensuring that the team remains agile and responsive. Celebrate these milestones to reinforce the message that every step forward is a critical part of the larger recovery plan.

Earning back your team's trust requires a thoughtful and sincere approach.Transparency is the key to rebuilding trust. Firstly accept accountability for the role you played in the setback,avoid shifting blame. One should acknowledge and apreciate the hard work and resilience of the team during challenging times.Show dedication,reliability,and a positive attitude.Your actions will set the tone for the team

To earn back your team's trust after a project setback, focus on demonstrating tangible progress. Start by acknowledging the setback and outlining a clear, actionable plan to address the issues. Set short-term goals and milestones that the team can track, ensuring transparency in your progress updates. Regularly communicate achievements, no matter how small, to show that the team is moving forward. Involve the team in decision-making and problem-solving to reinforce their role in the process. As they see consistent progress and results, their confidence and trust in the leadership will be restored.

Tracking and acknowledging progress is always important, especially after a setback that has your team feeling demoralized and defeated. As their leader, you can take it upon yourself to keep everyone updated on progress but it's super powerful when you ask your team members to do the same. Yes, they need your validation and encouragement to rebuild trust when a project goes sideways. But giving them the opportunity to acknowledge each other will further develop the trust between them so that other inevitable setbacks don't take as hard a toll on them. Your team will step in and take on more of the responsibility of supporting each other because you've equipped and encouraged them to acknowledge their collective strengths and progress.

Regularly share updates on the progress made towards recovery. Highlight the actions taken to rebuild trust and demonstrate your commitment to a better outcome. After a team conflict, I implemented weekly check-ins to track our progress in rebuilding trust. These updates provided a forum for open communication and allowed the team to see the tangible steps being taken to address their concerns.

All high-performing teams I've seen have one common value, people first. Vision, progress, milestones, etc. are all important, but nothing is as important as the connection people feel to the team as a whole. That connection is strengthened, not weakened, through setbacks. The team failed, we learned, we are smarter and we will do better next sprint, cycle, etc. It's painful in the moment, but focus on each other and the team will be better for it in the long run.

Teamwork is important; it helps you find someone else to put the blame on. Did you smile? That’s the spirit! When was the last time a colleague made you laugh? Or was it you? Those who laugh together, stay together. Find the time for a smile :-D

Instead of simply reinforcing core values, actively involve your team in redefining and evolving those values in response to setbacks. Organize collaborative workshops where team members can reflect on their experiences, share insights, and contribute to shaping the team's vision and goals. This participatory approach not only revitalizes the team's commitment but also ensures that the values remain relevant and resonant. By making the process dynamic and inclusive, you create a stronger, more adaptable foundation that empowers the team to face challenges with a renewed sense of purpose and ownership.

Remind your team of the shared values and goals that unite you. Emphasize the importance of collaboration, trust, and mutual respect in achieving success together. I initiated a team-building workshop focused on revisiting our core values and establishing a shared understanding of what they mean in practice. This helped to realign the team's focus and strengthen their commitment to working collaboratively towards a common goal.

Reinforce the core values that your team stands for. Remind them of the vision and goals that brought you all together in the first place. By emphasizing these values, you create a sense of unity and purpose that transcends the setback. It's important to remind your team that setbacks are temporary and that the values you share are the foundation that will help you overcome any challenge. By reinforcing the core values, vision, and goals, you help your team regain their sense of unity and purpose. This approach ensures that they remain focused and motivated, viewing setbacks as opportunities to demonstrate resilience and commitment.

Open Discussions and Motivation: Foster a culture of free and open discussions. Encourage team members to share their thoughts and ideas, ensuring they feel heard and valued. Use setbacks as learning opportunities to strengthen the team.

Every team experiences setbacks.. whether it be big corporate giants or college project teams.. but success lies in learning from the setbacks and demonstrating your commitment to move forward as a cohesive unit. Regularly reviewing progress and adjusting for potential mishaps can help avoid setbacks.

have a retrospective meeting Engage team in blameless postmortem Focus on what failed and how ignore who Ensure physiological safety so that people can come can come and taken - start with telling where you failed . After inputs create a action plan How to fix the gaps work with team have owners and work on creating culture changes so that we change mindset.

Failure is a blessing we often disregard by unnecessary drama. Life offers ups and downs and we grow in self-awareness and consciousness only in difficult times. Observing the emotions, without cycling in any negative stories our minds tell, is a helpful way to accept and let the past failure go. Changing the perspective and the way we view a setback is helpful to deduce the lessons and move on. Setback experience and related lessons are useful insights to share with other teams. Let’s do more of sharing worst practices. “I’ll keep doing this NEW mistakes…” is a great line in the lyrics of Shakira’s “Try everything” song.