The answer is everything! Trust is the foundation of positive relationships at work and in life. If you don’t have trust, you don’t have much.
When you think about people you don’t trust, what traits and behaviors do they exhibit? Some things that come to mind for me are people who:
- Are disrespectful to others.
- Are not very authentic and shapeshift depending on the group they are with.
- Don’t tell the truth.
- Throw others under the bus.
- Blame others or circumstances.
- Gossip.
- Take credit for the work of others.
On the flip side, when you think about people you trust, what traits and behaviors do they exhibit? Probably mostly the opposite of the above.
Below are five behaviors to promote trust at work and in life:
- Show respect– Respect is defined as treating people in a way that shows you care about their well-being and consider them to be people of worth. Disrespectful behaviors include gossiping, bullying, not listening, being close-minded, not keeping your word, withholding information and acting like you are superior. Remember the Golden Rule? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you!
- Be authentic– This means living your life according to your own values and goals, rather than those of other people. It is being true to yourself, regardless of the pressure you are under to act otherwise.
- Demonstrate integrity – C.S. Lewis defines integrity as doing the right thing for the right reason, even when no one is looking. The word integrity evolved from the Latin adjective integermeaning whole or complete. It is an inner sense of “wholeness” deriving from qualities such as honesty and consistent character. Integrity includes a sense of honesty, dependability and consistency of character. People with integrity adhere to company policies. They own up to their mistakes. They are honest and don’t tell untruths. They are true to their values. They are trustworthy and dependable.
- Demonstrate humility – Humility is an important quality that doesn’t get a lot of press because it is sometimes linked with weakness or being subservient. C.S. Lewis says, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less.” Humble people put others’ needs before their own. They understand that they are not the smartest person in every room and realize that they don’t need to be. They encourage people to speak up, respect differences of opinion and try to see things from the others’ perspectives. When things go wrong, they admit their mistakes and take responsibility. When things go right, they pass the credit to others.
- Extend trust to others – This involves giving others the benefit of the doubt and trusting them. Keep in mind that no one likes to be micromanaged at work or personally – and you don’t have to be a manager or a parent to micromanage. Micromanaging is being overly involved in others’ work or what they are doing in their lives.
In conclusion, trust has everything to do with it! Take inventory of how you are doing in these five behavior areas and make adjustments where needed to improve your relationships and your life.
