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Ever notice how some teams effortlessly generate fresh ideas while others feel stuck? The secret often lies in what Otto Scharmer calls the “3 enemies” – internal voices that can build or break team trust. The good news? You can quiet these voices and shift them into trust-building superpowers.

The Voice of Judgment: From “That Won’t Work” to “Tell Me More”

You’ve probably seen it – someone shares an idea and the room immediately fills with reasons why it won’t work. This kills psychological safety fast. People shut down, won’t put themselves out there, and innovation stalls.

The experiment: Try giving one new idea 60 seconds of curiosity before critique. When teams say “Help me understand…” instead of “That won’t work because…” people start sharing bolder ideas. Trust grows when judgment becomes genuine interest.

Try this: Establish a “curiosity before critique” rule in your next brainstorm.

The Voice of Cynicism: From “Whatever” to “What If We Could?”

Cynicism can sound reasonable – “Leadership will never approve this” – but it’s fear in disguise. When teams get cynical, they stop believing in each other’s commitment and what’s possible.

The experiment: Replace cynical assumptions with generous ones. Instead of “They’ll never go for it,” try “How might we make this exciting to them?” Trust builds when team members fight for shared success rather than defend against failure.

Try this: When someone voices cynicism, ask “What would need to be true for this to work?”

The Voice of Fear: From “We Can’t Change” to “Let’s Learn Together”

Fear masquerades as wisdom: “This is just how we work” or “We’re not that kind of company.” But clinging to familiar patterns prevents growth and erodes trust, especially towards anyone with a new idea.

The experiment: Frame changes as experiments, not permanent decisions. When teams say “Let’s try this for two weeks,” fear relaxes. If two weeks is too long, ask for a shorter timeframe. People trust processes that include their input and honor concerns.

Try this: Ask “What’s one small experiment we could try?” Small experiments build confidence for bigger leaps.

Start Listening For The Voices Today

The most trusting teams notice these voices and consciously choose to connect with each other at a deeper level. When judgment becomes curiosity, cynicism becomes possibility-thinking, and fear becomes shifting to learning, trust naturally follows.

Pick one voice your team struggles with most and experiment. Trust can build with your very next conversation.

Which voice shows up most in your team? Send me a note and I promise to reply with something helpful!

See you in 2 weeks.

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Here are a few resources that I’ve found interesting and have been sharing with clients:

1 // This TED talk touches on “why some of us don’t have one true calling” and introduces the power of the “multipotentialite”. (12 min video)

2 // Forget the specialist vs. generalist debate, and hire learners. (3 min read)

3 // The two things that contribute to the fragility of cooperation, and what to do about them. (10 min article)