When we say people move together at the speed of trust, we consider two kinds of trust: emotional and transactional.
Transactional trust is the satisfied expectation that someone will be pleasingly predictable in some way. I can expect someone to show up, deliver, fulfill my expectations of them, spoken and unspoken.
Emotional trust is the feeling that I can freely express myself with an expectation that I will be heard and valued for what I offer and share.
In our least trust-nurturing relationships, we harbor unspoken and therefore unmet expectations and we are less likely to listen well and affirmingly. In our strongest trust relationships, we practice the courage to make expectations explicit and create emotional spaces where others feel free to express themselves and feel valued.
I think transactional trust without emotional trust is functional but limiting. We become our best together when emotional trust is strong.
Trust is significant because when you want to better undertand the dynamics of any relationship, always look to the intangible trust factor. What gets misdiagnosed as a "communication issue" is rarely a lack of communication skills, rather the work of trust dynamics at play.