If there is anything that living and working in this uncertain time has taught us, it’s that we are more resilient than we thought.

Resilience isn’t just an individual trait, it can be a team trait as well, but it needs to be developed and shaped by leaders.

“By proactively helping your team build resilience, you will benefit from more engaged and productive employees and better short- and long-term outcomes—especially in the era of COVID-19,” Tanner Simkins says in Entrepreneur.

Simkins lays out four steps to building resilience in your team.

Be an ally

Being an ally to your team does not mean you can’t provide criticism when needed, but it does mean that your team feels supported when you do offer that feedback.

“Being an ally will not only help to build a foundation of trust among team members, but it will also model the encouraging and supporting atmosphere that you want all team members to help create,” Simkins says.

Be purpose-driven

“Employees are more engaged when they connect with what they are doing and see their efforts’ impact,” Simkins explains. “You want your team to have clarity of purpose and to work together to achieve team goals.”

You can help your team be purpose-driven by connecting the work they do to the mission of your organization.

Set clear goals and benchmarks for your team

Knowing what you are working towards is a key to a resilient team. That clarity of purpose can help your team fight through adversity.

“Avoid the mistake of assuming that everyone knows the goals by taking the time to share goals explicitly and to ensure that all team members understand and align with them,” Simkins recommends.

Build a culture of mutual trust

Don’t assume that trust will come naturally. To build a truly resilient team, you need to work at creating a culture of trust and respect.

“A few ways to build trust include highlighting the distinct roles of each team member, naming the contributions that each team member makes, allowing for times of group reflection to name successes and failures, and encouraging honest communication,” Simkins says.