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Home > Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast > Building Trust in Teams - The Foundation of Self-Organization | Tom Molenaar
Podcast: Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast
Episode:

Building Trust in Teams - The Foundation of Self-Organization | Tom Molenaar
Category: News & Politics
Duration: 00:12:47
Publish Date: 2025-09-30 10:05:00
Description: Tom Molenaar: How to Spot and Fix Lack of Trust in Scrum Teams

Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.

"When people don't speak up, it's because there's no trust. The team showed that they did not feel free to express their opinions."

Tom describes working with a team that appeared to be performing well on the surface - they were reaching their goals and had processes in place. However, deeper observation revealed a troubling dynamic: a few dominant voices controlled discussions while half the team remained silent during ceremonies. Through one-on-ones, Tom discovered team members felt judged and unsafe to express their ideas. Using the Lencioni Pyramid as a framework, he helped the team address the fundamental lack of trust that was preventing constructive conflict and genuine collaboration.

Featured Book of the Week: Empowered by Marty Cagan

Tom recommends "Empowered" by Marty Cagan as a book that significantly influenced his approach to team coaching. The book focuses on empowering teams and organizations to deliver great products while developing ordinary people into extraordinary performing teams. Tom appreciates its well-structured approach that covers all necessary elements without getting lost in details. The book provides practical tools for effective coaching, including techniques for regular one-on-ones, active listening, constructive feedback, setting clear expectations, celebrating success, and creating a culture of learning from failure.

[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
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