Trust – it’s the first point of the Scout Law. It’s what enables everything from businesses to families to work together successfully. It’s a necessary ingredient for a good business-provider partnership. Yet it’s something we so readily either skip or forget about in order to achieve whatever goals we’ve been tasked to do, whether it’s a major project, support effort, or running an errand. In fact, Patrick Lencioni in his book “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” has trust as the first factor a successful team needs to have.
According to Lencioni, trust is defined as “A firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.” As someone with a newer consulting practice, it’s something I need to gain in order to earn business. Top tier educational providers, consulting firms and major companies get it as a result of who they are and past success with their customers. We trust Disney, McDonald’s, P&G and Harvard. The rest of us have to do earn trust ourselves. Why and how?
Why is the easy part. With trust, you can have a relationship that can be candid, open, and mutually beneficial. Without trust, every word, statement and project becomes a test and can be viewed skeptically. My goal is to be seen as a trusted business partner and for my clients to know I have their best interests at heart. That’s always proven successful to me in the work I have done with clients in the past. In fact, I always offer a value-add. What does your company need that I can help with, and what do you need for yourself professionally? Let me help you in both ways.
How do you gain this trust? Several ways based on the acronym TRUST:
T – track record – Have you proven yourself? Show it.
R – results – Have you shown results with this person or with others? Prove it.
U – understanding – Do you understand this situation, issue, or challenge? Demonstrate it.
S – safe – Are conversations confidential and respectful? Give it.
T – time – Do you respond quickly? Live it.
By building TRUST you can give trust, and be on your way to having a highly successful client, customer, and family relationship.
Advancing Learning by Howard Prager 