From Performer to Leader: How to Build a High-Trust Team (Lessons from Ryan Hawk)

Real-World Strategies for Creating Teams That Thrive

What separates average teams from extraordinary ones? According to Ryan Hawk, the answer is trust. In ‘Welcome to Management,’ Hawk draws on years of interviews with top leaders and his own experience to reveal that psychological safety is the foundation of every great team. When people feel safe, they contribute more, innovate freely, and recover quickly from setbacks.

Hawk offers a blueprint for building this kind of culture. It starts with the leader: model vulnerability by admitting when you don’t know, ask for feedback, and show genuine care for your team’s well-being. Celebrate wins, no matter how small, and empower every team member to take ownership of their work.

Culture, Hawk insists, is not about office perks or mission statements—it’s about daily behaviors. Leaders who live the values they preach create an environment where trust flourishes. Hawk shares stories of managers who turned around struggling teams by focusing on honesty, recognition, and empowerment.

Finally, Hawk encourages leaders to hire for values, not just skills, and to handle tough decisions—like letting someone go—with transparency and compassion. The result is a team that not only performs but thrives, even in adversity.

If you want to build a high-trust team, start with Hawk’s lessons: be vulnerable, celebrate wins, empower ownership, and make culture your daily practice. The payoff is a team that’s resilient, innovative, and deeply committed to shared success.