When it comes to trust—How do people see you? How do you view yourself? Are you a trust booster or a trust buster?
Today, trust is a critical element in the workplace, whether it is an email, a tweet, one-on-one, in the classroom or in a staff meeting. I have done my share of trust busting in my career. I have learned over time, how to become more conscious of trust from a leadership perspective, and how it literally radiates throughout the culture of an organization. It is an experience. It is a feeling. It is a sense. It can also be seen. It is balance. It is congruence. Trust can make a company. And, lack of trust can destroy one. Once broken, trust is challenging to rebuild and a company can spiral downward without an awareness of ways to rebuild.
It is sort of like the (perhaps overused analogy of the) tree that branches grow taller and is greener has a strong support, or root system. We can say this root system is trust. Without it, the tree wilts, branches die as does the tree eventually. Sometimes it happens so covertly and slow it is like a surprise attack and the tree’s defenses cannot respond. Trust is more than mere words. It is an experience and part of an enduring culture that creates a sustainable competitive advantage for organizations that nurture it’s growth.
In today’s multi-generational workforce, transforming paradigms that traditionally worked is essential. Companies taught late boomers, Gen X, Gen Y and millenials that their people are expendable. Loyalty left many organizations with the boomer’s 401K retirement funds. Well, it actually began 10 years before that with mass layoffs.
Paraphrasing another recent blog post, COMMUNICATION: Executives Telling the Whole Story? Or, is Part of the Story Enough? —one size does not fit all today in the workplace. Today, what works for one, does not work for all. If you do not have an issue with trust, then what are you doing to maintain it? Please share. I would like to know.
I have been certified as a consultant to facilitate programs called TrustWorks (a Ken Blanchard Company), which provides a 360 evaluation for trust on teams. The programs include Leader as Trust Builder, Self as Trust Builder and Building Organizational Trust. Work with people and organizations, I have discovered the most critical distinction to get is that trust truly begins within. At least for trust that sticks!
I have discovered I am more in integrity with the world when I have been in integrity with my body and mind first. Integrity with the world for me is defined as doing what I say I will do. I have consciously shifted from being a victim of this economy, to becoming part of the solution. I have realized, when I set multiple appointments or start something new, other “things, like ‘life’, can get in the way.” Life happens—thank goodness it does. But, some of these can test my resolve, my commitment. They could also impact my time management. Now, I have to say, I am a stickler for being on time. <OMG> 
What it really comes down to at a more root level, is my integrity with myself. Once I discovered this a few years back, I made a conscious shift to invite the possibility of greater balance and congruence into my life. This shifted my level of self trust.
My balance includes exercising regularly. I have been a longtime member of 24 Hour Fitness but stopped going. A few months ago I started back with a personal trainer, at Fitness Together. I have 3 days of weights/light cardio and 2-3 days of heavy cardio. I focused on a healthier diet and have lost 9 pounds and added Juice Plus into my life which helps me to ensure I am getting enough fruits and vegetables in my diet. My brain is functioning with much greater clarity and who I am “being” has shifted.
This congruence, balance and self trust provide me inner strength and confidence. I can be stronger for the people that rely on me and trust me. So, I guess the bottom line is getting “right” with me is important so I can best support the people I love and lead. Trust begins inside.
Your post was nicely done. Trust is the key to everything. We must trust ourselves and others if we ever hope to achieve anything lasting and permanent. Whether it be in our careers or our personal relationships, once trust is broken, the damage is hard if not impossible to totally repair.
Thank you Bill for taking time to respond. It definitely takes time. I find it interesting that trust takes so long to build but only a mere instant to destroy. It only takes one time.
>>I have discovered I am more in integrity with the world when I have been in integrity with my body and mind first. <<
I agree with your statement above and think that's key to building trust with others. It's aligned with another saying that comes to mind… "To thine own self be true."
Thanks for your post.
Mel Aclaro
Great information! I’ve been looking for something like this for a while now. Thanks!
Glad this helped. Glad to connect and support your efforts however I can.
I appreciate your specific comments Mel. Thank you for taking time to respond. Trust is quickly moving to becoming the top of corpporate focus today–as it should.
Phillip Tanzilo
Interesting thoughts on trust. I’m sure you’ve seen many different kinds of situation in your practice that have both build degraded, or destroyed trust.
Is it possible to be a trust builder today, and a trust buster tomorrow or somewhere down the line? Do business circumstances circumvent trust building?
I also find your analogy of the tree root system interesting as well. Could it be that a health tree (business) have some roots that are not performing their job at strengthening the tree? Might the tree compensate for the bad root and get more growth from those healthy roots? Or, if the bad root is not getting enough water and nutrients, the healthy roots might compensate for this lack.
I’ve got a huge tree that shade my back yard. It’s in the neighbors yard. But this tree has several roots that are growing in my yard and inhibiting the health of my lawn. I decided to cut sections out of the roots that were coming into my yard. My grass is now very healthy, not having their water taken by the tree root, and the tree is healthy as can be!
Great article. Trust is a multi-dimensional subject. What is it at bottom that wins trust? The title suggested that the article explores how one should trust self first, and then become able to instill trust in others.
Definitely, trust in my opinion comes from within first. Thank you for sharing that.
Thank you for your response. Trust is indeed milti-dimensional. Trust is earned and not won or an entltlement. It is also different across generations. The objective in this post is to create awareness of one’s actions. This is the first step in building trust.
Great questions Steve. An objective to create a culture of trust will sustain trust. Human nature and habits wil persist, but with greater awareness and others sharing the commitment, organizations will take 3 steps forward and perhaps 2 back, then 3 steps forward and perhaps 2 back.
Sometimes bringing in outside talent infuses new growth possibilities, improves acceptance of culture change and brings greater focus on performance rewarding those that are trust builders. Hiding under the share of the tree may limit growth, infusing fresh perspectives and trusting that constant and neverending growth is the way to sustain an organization. Trust in one’s future build’s confidence. If everyone shares in the vision, achieving it is exponentially greater. Success stems from trust, among other factors as well.