The best packet food doesn’t just get eaten - it gets hidden. Back of the cupboard. In the wardrobe. Even covert placement in the food mixer (brilliant, but short lived).
It’s funny at home - but the same preservation instincts show up at work.
In teams, it’s not the snacks we protect - it’s knowledge, time and ideas. And the scarcer things feel, the tighter people hold on.
But the best teams don’t hoard - they share, they trade, they pool - because the whole team wins when the best resources are on the table. And it’s surprising just how much people are willing to share … when they trust the wider team.
That’s the real leadership challenge, isn’t it? How can we lead in a way that doesn’t demand collaboration but instead creates the trust that makes it possible.
My five cents: trust isn’t just something you earn. It’s something you give.
When we lead with trust, we invite trust in return. It’s the law of reciprocity.
Could they take advantage? Sure. That’s why we’ll often start small.
But what if they don’t? What if your first step of trust unlocks the kind of collaboration you’ve been hoping for - not just inside your own team, but across teams?
👉 What’s one act of trust or generosity you could offer this week - just to see what it unlocks?
(Hat tip to Ann Braithwaite for her excellent story and insights that sparked this)
