A core component of a relationship in any setting is trust.
Trust is the willingness of one party to become vulnerable to another party on the presumption that the trustee will act in ways that benefit the trustor. In psychology, trust is believing that the trusted person will do what is expected. The odd part about trust is that it is an emotion that is easier to feel than it is to define. Bringing up trust inherently makes one question the motive to discuss it.
In any business or leadership book there will be a section on building and maintaining trust to cultivate high performance. Yet forming trusting relationships is hardly something one can take out of a book. In the workplace, trust is implied but not guaranteed. Building trust takes the commitment of both parties, yet trust can be destroyed through the direct or indirect actions of one. Teams produce collective results through the actions of individuals. In an inherently competitive ecosystem, people may not always be incentivized or motivated to share outcomes and results.
Some guiding questions to ponder over breakfast:
- What does trust look like to you?
- How do you build trust in new relationships / maintain in old relationships?
- What are your reactions to having your trust broken?
- Do you interpret trust through logic or feelings?
- How do past experiences shape your trustworthiness?
Early Birds > Late Worms 