Trust is the foundation for any successful relationship. It is measured by how much confidence we have in someone to be honest, transparent, and reliable. A high level of trust is the glue that brings people together with the belief they will do right by us. When trust is lacking, it can undermine a potentially new relationship or cause the demise of an already existing one.
How do you build trust?
Earning trust is a process that requires you to behave in ways that actively solicit it from others. Inconsistency and insincerity in your behavior are the key ingredients for failure. Overall, trust can be hard to gain and easy to lose, so take your approach seriously.
To build trustful relationships, engage with people in the following manner:
(1) Be honest and above board in your interactions with others. To establish and maintain your credibility, tell the truth. While some lies might be tolerated from time to time, each lie calls into question your trustworthiness.
(2) Own up to your vulnerabilities by admitting when you don’t know something or are wrong. People are more likely to trust someone who acknowledges their shortcomings than one who feigns to be perfect.
(3) Display to others that you are reliable not only with your words but by your actions. When it comes to trust, how you behave is just as important as what you say. People’s trust in you will erode if you habitually pretend to be one kind of person while your manners suggest another.
(4) Be transparent by openly communicating to others your intentions and rationale for doing something. Letting people understand “the why and how” of your actions negates the element of secrecy and surprise.
(5) Appreciate others by demonstrating your genuine faith in who they are and what they have to offer. Extending gratitude and praise for their efforts and achievements will go a long way to building trust.
(6) Treat others with fairness, respect, and dignity. Acting in ways that favor some individuals over others gives you an appearance of being insensitive and biased. A perceived violation of the fundamental principles of equality and justice is an immediate trigger for distrust.
(7) Honor the promises you make to others. Despite your best of intentions, people want to see results. If you cannot deliver on your promises, others are likely to view you as being incompetent and untrustworthy.
(8) Have faith in people to be dependable, honest, transparent, and consistent. As a guiding premise, assume the best in others until proven otherwise. To build rewarding relationships, trust must be reciprocal.
In relationships with high trust, you will experience greater…Peace of Mind
Outcomes: You will feel relaxed and at ease with less stress, anxiety, worries, and trauma to rob you from obtaining meaningful and productive achievements.
Respect
Outcomes: You will engage in relationships with people you admire and appreciate for what they are, not what you want them to be. Furthermore, you will receive both esteem and high praise back from them.
Constructive Communication
Outcomes: You will openly exchange ideas and information with people who can help you overcome challenges and make better life choices. They will serve as a network for your professional and personal growth and development.
Camaraderie
Outcomes: You will experience rewarding friendships and business relationships that will offer you quality time with people you enjoy.
Opportunities
Outcomes: You will be surrounded by people who will encourage you to live up to your true potential. They will be your biggest cheerleaders as you set out to explore new possibilities.
What can be done to restore trust?
Good luck! It is not easy to restore trust once the lack of it has reached a certain point. A person might be able to forgive another’s derelict actions, but there will always be a degree of doubt that will impede their future relationship. And, pending on the situation and the people involved, it may never be restored.
Bottom line, it is better to retain trust than to risk the chance that you will never gain it back.
