Building Unbreakable Team Trust in Transactional Times
In a critical moment before a major 2008 top-ten road game against Ohio State, our Penn State offense faced a unique challenge. While known for a dynamic offense, this specific game demanded toughness and fundamental execution over flashy plays. That Friday night, I chose a different approach, drawing inspiration from a concept of faith: “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
I told the team, particularly the offensive line, “Tomorrow, at some point, we must run the ball relentlessly. We will out-tough them and impose our will. We trust you guys to get the job done.” We extended our trust to them, unsure if they reciprocated that same faith.
In 2025’s “Me over We” transactional world, trust emerges as the most valuable commodity. How does one cultivate trust over mere transactions?
A guiding force throughout my coaching career was the saying, “I hope I don’t lose your friendship because I tell you the truth.” This paraphrased biblical passage highlights honesty’s enduring power in human nature. While straightforward, delivering honesty, especially when it reveals flaws, proves challenging in an increasingly transactional society.
College athletics, now shifting from an amateur to an unregulated professional model, sees coaches actively discuss “transformational” rather than “transactional” relationships with players. However, authentic delivery, not just clever soundbites, builds earned, enduring trust that carries teams through crises.
How do we build this essential trust?
Relentless Honesty is Vital.
Coaching under Hall of Fame coaches George Welsh at the University of Virginia and Joe Paterno at Penn State, I witnessed a consistent approach to honesty with coaches, staff, and players. Both Welsh and Paterno demanded honesty in recruitment. We never made false promises about playing time or lied to secure players. They strictly adhered to NCAA rules, a non-negotiable stance during a time of widespread illicit inducements. While many programs quickly collapsed due to disgruntled players exposing rules violations, Welsh and Paterno’s decades of success rested on a foundation of honesty and transparency. Players may not have always liked them, but they almost universally respected them—and respect always outweighs popularity. When adversity strikes, this deep respect allows the team to endure and overcome setbacks.
Unflinching Foundational Core Values Matter.
Any organization’s leader must first define their core values, which form the bedrock of every decision. In college football, we outlined these values at the first meeting with potential team members. We presented three goals: first, graduating with a meaningful education; second, pursuing team success and championships; and third, achieving personal success and a potential NFL career. We emphasized these goals in that specific order. Players who shared this prioritized vision for their future were a good fit. One highly sought-after recruit, after hearing our pitch, realized “they had more to offer me than I had to offer them.” He came to Penn State, graduated, won the Big Ten title, and became a first-round NFL draft pick. Players uninterested in education or being great teammates never succeeded with us, and no one wins when a team member falters. As times change, tactics and strategies evolve, but core values must remain steadfast. Maintaining this foundation allows a team to adapt to tactical changes without sacrificing morale or focus.
Dialogue and Communication Must Be a Two-Way Street.
Leaders often face the temptation to cultivate an army of “yes people” who reinforce every impulse. Even without this intention, success can foster an environment where proximity to power encourages unquestioned fealty, creating the most transactional relationships. Great leaders, possessing both supreme confidence and an inner voice of doubt, understand that comfort leads to complacency. They actively seek honest feedback through a two-way dialogue, encouraging realistic assessments, both positive and negative.
When I wrote my first book, my literary agent, Al Zuckerman, known for his tough criticism, provided honest, sometimes disheartening, feedback on early drafts. However, upon publication, his praise filled me with pride, embodying Ralph Waldo Emerson’s definition of success: “to earn the appreciation of honest critics.” This process flourished because Al, his staff, the publisher, and I built a team based on trust, not transactions. This collaborative trust shaped and reshaped the book, leading it to become a #1 bestseller in its category on Amazon.
A team built on trust achieves a steely confidence, forged in a crucible where honesty purifies and eliminates weaknesses. A leader’s strength, and the team’s, emanate from this trust, standing firmly on core values and impervious to fleeting fads.
Back in Columbus, after that team meeting, I faced my own doubts. The next night, in the fourth quarter, trailing by three points before 105,711 hostile Ohio State fans, the moment arrived. We told our players on the sideline to run the ball to win the game. The entire offense displayed determination and confidence. We ran the ball on seven of the next eight plays, scoring the go-ahead touchdown. Later, holding a tenuous four-point lead, we ran the ball ten straight plays, even when everyone in the stadium knew our intention. Our mutual trust and faith resulted in another score and a seven-point top-ten road win in one of the toughest environments in the country. As the clock wound down on that late October night, we secured a great victory—a victory made possible by hard-earned trust in one another, rooted in consistent, two-way honesty over time.
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Source: Ceoworld.Biz
