Article

Trust comes first

20 December 2021
Boudewijn Vanpeteghem Editor Connect on Linkedin
Key messages
  • Discussion about values with TriFinance colleagues
  • Trust comes first, the basis for collaboration
  • No me without we: people grow when they work together

Why do you choose to work for an organization? Probably values play an
important role as they are binding elements. We discussed the values of our company with three colleagues. They all agree: trust comes first. Starting from that trust, which they experience in daily practice, several other values are important for the three Project Consultants, such as leadership, teamwork and 'sense of responsibility'.

The reactions are similar among the Belgian Marie Vandoorne, the Dutch Marloes Agterberg of Achterberg, and the German Timo Goeke when it comes to the values TriFinance adheres to. Marie, Project Consultant (PC) of the Blue Chip Boutique 'Financial Institutions' (BCB FI), emphasizes that the importance of values tell a lot about the organization. "It reflects the heart of the company and I have found that the values put forward are reflected in everyday practice."

For Senior PC Marloes of the BCB Transition & Support (T&S) Rotterdam, values indicate how an organization thinks about dealing with employees and what is expected of them. "For me, those values mean that I can be who I am," she says. PC Timo of the BCB T&S Düsseldorf states that TriFinance plays in a higher league than most companies with its values.

The seriousness and intensity with which BaseCamp guides me, I have not experienced anywhere else.

Marie Vandoorne

Confidence is labeled "the most important thing of all," "the basis of everything," "the greatest motivator during a project." Trust, this much is clear, comes first when we discuss values. Marie: "For Project Consultants, trust is even more important than for permanent employees in a company. You have to be able to count on the BaseCamp to come up with challenging new projects that are in line with the career path you want to follow. The BaseCamp of TriFinance is an excellent ally for this. The seriousness and intensity with which they guide me, I have not experienced anywhere else."

When Marloes felt that trusting relationship, she says it gave her room to develop. "When you trust people, you can let them go. If you are given trust, you dare to open up and step outside your own comfort zone. Then you also dare to indicate what you are less good at because you do not fear being judged for it."

For Timo it is important to experience that TriFinance gives confidence to young people: "I know that I can and may do my thing. Most companies in Germany don't believe in young employees enough. TriFinance does." For him, trust is linked to a sense of responsibility. "As a Project Consultant, we are the first point of contact, the face of TriFinance at the client. You're supposed to make a good impression and that includes basics like looking neat." Sense of responsibility and taking initiative can be done with confidence at TriFinance, Timo believes. "Because they don't immediately judge you when you make a mistake. More than that, they help you learn from your mistakes."

Leadership

Marie stresses that she obviously wants to grow in her career, but first and foremost she needs to be able to feel good in an organization. She ticks the value 'Personal Leadership'. "I am the leader of my career and TriFinance gives me the opportunity to push myself and develop at my pace. The team puts great faith in me." Marloes also stands by 'Personal Leadership', which she describes as: "Being able to set yourself apart. Showing who you are. TriFinance gives you the space to be who you are, to develop further, and to think about what you want. That also has everything to do with confidence."

TriFinance gives you the space to be who you are, to develop further, and to think about what you want.

Marloes Agterberg of Achterberg

For Marloes, "Leadership by example" means doing yourself what you expect of others and, for example, actually taking action when you have announced that you will do so. "It's about communicating throughout the organization what you expect from each other." Timo points out that "Leadership by example" starts with each person and goes all the way to the top of the organization. "I try to convince newcomers even more of our vision, our values, and make it clear to them that we work for that. If you decide to work at TriFinance, you know that growing is the main goal." That has to do with intrinsic motivation, Timo says.

Teamwork

Marie once worked in a company where our motto: "There's no me without we", did not apply. She looked for it and she found TriFinance, an organization that values collaboration. "I like to work in a vibrant environment and together with the people around me. Teamwork means not always putting yourself first. Collaboration has to do with trust and reciprocity." Marloes talks about knowledge sharing, which creates a win-win situation. "Letting people loose and noticing that things will work out. Not deciding everything yourself in advance, but creating a context in which brilliant ideas can emerge. That way you get plans and solutions you hadn't thought of yourself."

It goes beyond a mere working relationship and teamwork at TriFinance. Colleagues have become friends.

Timo Goeke

Timo: "It goes beyond a mere working relationship and teamwork at TriFinance. Colleagues have become friends." For the Project Consultant, this has to do with the atmosphere of "fairness" and "equity" that he experiences in our organization. "The 'fairness' and transparency that are so alive in the organization make it easy to work together. Teamwork is one of the great strengths of TriFinance. Team meetings and events with colleagues are an integral part of this. Work and fun go hand in hand and when you are on a project you stay in touch with the organization. The interaction with BaseCamp is of very high quality."