In this episode of the Mission Ready Podcast, hosts William Branham, a retired Navy SEAL sniper instructor, and Brenda Neckvatal, an HR professional, explore the critical role of trust in creating effective teams. Drawing from their rich backgrounds, they discuss how to build, maintain, and restore trust, emphasizing clear communication, integrity, and accountability. They highlight the challenges leaders face, such as the need for transparency and the impact of failure on team dynamics. The episode wraps up with a nod to their book and resources for team improvement, leaving listeners with a call to action to be mission-ready.

The importance of trust (00:00:08) Discussion on the significance of trust in building high-performing teams and the impact of trust in leadership roles and team dynamics.

Earning and losing trust (00:00:50) Insights on the ease of earning trust in the beginning of a relationship, the reasons for losing trust, and the importance of maintaining trust in personal and professional relationships.

Impact of lack of integrity on trust (00:05:49) The impact of a leader's lack of integrity on trust, and the experience of losing trust in a leader due to integrity issues.

Challenges of regaining trust (00:10:54) The difficulty and time-consuming process of regaining trust after it has been lost, especially in a leadership role.

Leadership and high standards (00:12:59) The impact of leaders with high standards and the initial challenges in trusting such leaders, emphasizing the need for clear communication and articulation of expectations.

Owning mistakes to rebuild trust (00:20:40) The importance of owning mistakes and being transparent in order to rebuild trust, despite the challenges posed by ego and pride.

Owning Mistakes (00:21:12) Leadership's response to mistakes and the importance of immediate ownership and transparency.

Recoverable Mistakes (00:22:04) Discussing a recoverable financial mistake and the impact of lack of empathy on trust.

Sympathy vs Empathy (00:23:57) Differentiating between sympathy and empathy and the impact of empathetic responses on trust.

Handling Mistakes with Empathy (00:25:56) The negative impact of a lack of empathy on trust and the importance of empathetic responses to mistakes.

Empathy and Trust (00:27:28) The role of empathy in building trust and the importance of empathetic leadership.

Learning from Failure (00:36:17) The significance of failure in leadership and the lessons learned from failure.

Overcoming Optics of Trust (00:40:23) Strategies for overcoming the optics of a trusting environment and the importance of overcommunication and setting clear expectations.

Building High Performing Teams (00:40:38) Announcement of the upcoming book "Mission Ready: Building High Performing Teams from the Battlefield to the Boardroom" and the availability of a free assessment on the website.

Introduction (00:41:51) The hosts welcome the audience and introduce the focus of the podcast: building high-performing teams.

Importance of Trust (00:42:15) Discussion on the significance of trust in leadership roles and team dynamics.

Personal Experiences (00:43:00) Sharing of personal insights and experiences related to earning, maintaining, and regaining trust in teams.

Conclusion (00:43:45) Wrapping up the episode and encouraging the audience to stay awesome and be mission ready.