Trust vs. Team Performance Matrix

Every leadership team wants high performance, but trust is often the missing piece of the puzzle. Without trust, teams may hit short-term goals but struggle with long-term sustainability. On the other hand, teams with great relationships but no accountability fail to deliver impact.

This guide helps you identify where your team sits on the Trust vs. Performance Matrix and provides practical steps to move towards a high-trust, high-performance culture so you can build a team that not only works well together but also achieves lasting success.

High performance and trust don’t always go hand in hand. Some teams deliver results but struggle with trust, while others have strong relationships but lack accountability. This guide will help you diagnose where your team currently sits on the Trust vs. Team Performance Matrix and provide actionable steps to move towards a high-trust, high-performance culture.

📊 The Trust vs. Performance Matrix

Quadrants Explained

🚨 Dysfunctional & Distrustful (Low Trust, Low Performance)

“A fractured team where no one feels safe, and results suffer.”

Symptoms	Siloed working, blame culture, lack of psychological safety, defensive behaviour.
Real-World Example	A leadership team where departments compete instead of collaborating, causing misalignment and inefficiency.
How to Improve	Address trust issues through open, facilitated conversations. Encourage vulnerability by leading with openness at the senior level. Define shared goals to create alignment and break down silos.

⚡️ Results-Driven but Fear-Based (Low Trust, High Performance)

“A team that delivers but at the cost of psychological safety.”

Symptoms	High expectations but a culture of fear, minimal transparency, stress, and burnout.
Real-World Example	A high-growth startup with aggressive targets, where people perform but fear making mistakes.
How to Improve	Normalise learning from failures to reduce fear-based performance. Build in regular team check-ins focused on psychological safety. Recognise and reward collaboration, not just individual success.

🌥️ Friendly but Ineffective (High Trust, Low Performance)

“A team that gets along well but struggles to deliver results.”

Symptoms	Great relationships but a lack of urgency, reluctance to hold each other accountable, decision-making takes too long
Real-World Example	A legacy organisation with a strong social culture but slow execution and little accountability.
How to Improve	Set clear, measurable goals to refocus the team on outcomes. Create a culture of accountability where feedback is expected and valued. Ensure leadership models a balance between support and challenge.

🔥 High-Trust, High-Performance Team (High Trust, High Performance)

“A team that thrives because trust and results go hand in hand.”

Symptoms	Open, constructive feedback, strong accountability, people challenge each other but in a psychologically safe way.
Real-World Example	A well-aligned leadership team that drives innovation while supporting individual and team growth.
How to Improve	Keep trust strong by reinforcing transparency and vulnerability. Continue to balance high expectations with high support. Regularly reflect on team dynamics to ensure trust and performance stay aligned.

🛠 Where Is Your Team Now? (Self-Assessment)

Ask your team these key reflection questions to diagnose where you currently sit on the matrix:

Trust Questions

✅ Do team members feel comfortable voicing concerns and disagreements? ✅ Are mistakes treated as learning opportunities rather than reasons for blame? ✅ Is there openness and transparency in decision-making?

Performance Questions

✅ Does the team consistently deliver on goals and expectations? ✅ Is there clarity around roles, responsibilities, and accountability? ✅ Does the team have a sense of urgency and momentum?

Based on your answers, which quadrant best represents your team today?

📈 Moving Towards a High-Trust, High-Performance Culture

No matter where your team currently sits, you can shift towards the top-right quadrant by focusing on both trust and performance. Here’s how:

If you have Low Trust: Start with open communication and psychological safety initiatives.
If you have Low Performance: Introduce clearer goals, accountability frameworks, and performance expectations.
If you’re in the High-Trust, High-Performance quadrant: Keep challenging your team to grow while maintaining trust.

🚀 Next Steps

This guide is a starting point. If your leadership team needs support in improving trust, accountability, or performance, let’s talk!

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More about me!

Hey I'm Claire, founder of Impactful People

With a background spanning law, international sport, technology, people, startups, and leadership roles, I bring a wealth of real-world experience to my work. This diverse journey has given me a deep understanding of the unique challenges leaders face across industries, especially in high-growth and dynamic environments.

I’ve navigated uncertain career paths, adapted through leadership transitions, and thrived in high-pressure situations. These experiences allow me to genuinely empathise with you. I know firsthand the frustration of being pulled into operational details, managing underperforming teams or working under dysfunctional Leadership Teams. Having “been there,” I offer guidance that’s practical and rooted in reality—not just theory.

I’m committed to helping leaders build cohesive, high-performing teams with a focus on trust, accountability, and open communication.