Initial trust formation in temporary small task groups: Testing a model of swift trust

Abstract

Trust has been conceptualized mainly as a process that develops over time (Blau, 1964; Rempel, Holmes, & Zana, 1985; Zand, 1972). However, considering the fast pace of work in many of today’s organizations, there is little time for trust to develop following “traditional” patterns: familiarity, shared experience, reciprocal disclosure, threats and deterrents, fulfilled promises, and demonstrations of non-exploitation of vulnerability (Meyerson, Weick, & Kramer, 1996). With numerous boards, teams, and meetings held daily in American businesses, scholars have focused their attention on the newly formed type of group–the temporary group–which requires a special type of trust, swift trust. Swift trust is “a unique form of collective perception and relating that is capable of managing issues of vulnerability, uncertainty, risk, and expectations” (Meyerson et al., p. 167). Temporary groups display behaviors that presuppose trust, although they do not have a history of trust development. According to Meyerson et al. (1996), this form of swift trust is real, not merely trust-like behavior. There are numerous opportunities for naturally occurring temporary groups that need a fast development of trust. Examples of temporary groups and organizations are: cockpit crews, presidential commissions, firefighting teams, theater and architectural groups, construction crews, auditing teams, negotiation cartels, juries, film crews, election campaign organizations, newly formed cross-functional teams, organizations formed