3 Simple Ways to Build Trust
Trust is built up incrementally through experience, and every encounter can make it stronger or weaker.
By Peter Economy
When it comes to the stuff that strong relationships are made of, there is no more precious commodity than trust. It takes time to establish and can be broken in a heartbeat. But those who achieve the highest levels have demonstrated over and over again the same patterns of behavior that make building trust look easy.
1. Be reliable.
Fundamental to trust is reliability. If you say you'll do something, you'll do it. When you say it, you mean it. And if you say you'll get a coffee for someone by the end of the day, you do. Reliability is about honoring your word, but it's also about not overcommitting. If you can't do something or you don't want to do it, it's best to say so and say no. If you have overcommitted, own up to it, but also make sure your existing commitments come first. Of course, life happens and sometimes things don't go as planned.
2. Be authentic.
People want the real deal--fake smiles and airbrushed images may get you noticed, but it's being honest and open that creates real relationships and builds trust. If you can be comfortable with your own messes, imperfections, and pain--and not hide behind a manufactured persona or Instagrammed "perfection"--then you become more relatable to others and you build trust with people.
3. Be values-driven.
In an age of ethical consumerism and values-based employment, being in business with people and partners who share your values has become even more important than ever. Think about firms that have suffered from boycotts and public criticism that stemmed from being seen as behaving unethically. Such cases illustrate the importance of having a strong moral character and sticking to your values even when it would be easier not to. A person who does not cheat when it would be easy is seen as someone who won't cheat when it would be harder.
Remember: trust is built up incrementally through experience. Every encounter is an opportunity to make it stronger or weaker. Through repeated demonstrations of honesty, reliability, and integrity, we can build up a bank of trust. Trust is a precious resource, and inviting others to trust us is a risk. So, we need to take steps to nurture and protect this invaluable resource.
Although it's not simply automatic, and you've got to work on building trust every day of the week, the payoff on this pathway is well worth pursuing.