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Five Trust Skills: Part 4 of 5

Risk Deep trust does not exist without risk. Most of us worry about doing something that feels risky, like speaking a hard truth, because we don’t think we have enough trust in the relationship for that risk to be tolerated. The irony is, that it is the very act of taking those risks that creates […]
Five Trust Skills: Part 3 of 5

Improvise In your daily life you are likely to encounter those unexpected, uncomfortable moments that inevitably occur at the worst possible times in your business relationships. We like to call those “moments of truth” – when something happens and suddenly it feels as though you are on a sinking ship with no life preserver to […]
Five Trust Skills: Part 2 of 5

Partnership The metaphor of dancing partners translates perfectly into a trust-based relationship. Dancing brings to mind images of moving together in perfect synchronization and being completely in tune with one another. When you choose a partner, whether it be to share your life with or to join your team at work, you want someone […]
Five Trust Skills: Part 1 of 5

Listening There are five main trust skills that underpin our everyday actions. Today we will discuss the first of these very important skills; listening. Listening is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as, “to hear something with thoughtful attention : give consideration”. Almost everyone in a role that deals with sales, consulting, or general business knows the importance […]
The Fundamental Truths of Trust: Part 5 of 5

Over the past few posts, we have learned about the 10 Fundamental Truths of Trust. Today we will conclude this series with the final 2 Fundamental Truths. Fundamental Truth #9: Trust is Strong and Durable, Not Fragile It is often said trust takes a long time to build, but only a moment to destroy. This […]
The Fundamental Truths of Trust: Part 4 of 5

Trust is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as the “assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something“. We trust our family and friends to be there for us when we need them most. We trust our communities to support our daily lives. We trust our government to protect us and lead […]
The Fundamental Truths of Trust: Part 3 of 5

We don’t spend a lot of time thinking about how trust is created, or why we trust the people we do. Most people believe trust is a simple part of human interaction – that is exists without effort. This is a common mistake that many people make. Trust is a complex concept in human relationships. […]
The Fundamental Truths of Trust: Part 2 of 5

Building trust is a crucial step that is often overlooked during the process of building relationships. As we move forward in our discussion surrounding trust, we seek to discover how trust is created and what some of the fundamental truths of trust are. In our last post, we learned about the first and second Fundamental […]
The Fundamental Truths of Trust: Part 1 of 5

Building trust is often thought of as being a simple thing. But in fact, it can be anything but easy. Trust is a complex concept. It is often misunderstood and very frequently overlooked as a key element in human relationships. Over the next few posts, we will take a deeper look at each of the […]
The Trust Creation Process

Trust is not something that happens overnight. In any relationship, trust is built overtime through dedication and hard work. Trust is created on an individual level, usually through conversations. The Trust Creation Process (ELFEC) is a five-step model that describes how it works. Trust Creation Process Engage (E): Offer something of value in an open discussion […]
Other-Orientation in The Trust Equation

The final component in The Trust Equation is known as Other-Orientation. Other-Oriented business people are relentlessly focused on their client’s wants and needs at all times. They are also very committed to making sure that all interactions are all about the client—not about themselves. This component deals with focus, motives and attentions. It sounds like, “I can trust […]
Intimacy In The Trust Equation

For most people, it’s more natural to build trust by increasing credibility and reliability. And yet, without intimacy, business transactions are just that – transactions. The “safe haven” experience that is the hallmark of Trusted Advisor relationships is a pipe dream. Trust research has shown that of the four factors, the one most associated with […]
Reliability in The Trust Equation

Today we will focus on the second component of the Trust Equation. Reliability. Reliability occurs when you prove yourself to be dependable and predictable over time. This factor is based on your actions. It is based on your dependability and your predictability. When we think of Reliability we think of someone that we “can trust to do…” […]
Credibility in The Trust Equation

There are four factors that will turn any client interaction into an opportunity to build trust and earn the right to sit at the strategy table. These ideas and insights are based on guidance about the Trust Equation from “The Trusted Advisor” by David Maister, Charles Green, and Rob Galford. These four factors […]
Understanding The Trust Equation – By Charles H. Green

Trust relationships are vital to the way we do business today. In fact, the level of trust in business relationships, whether internal with employees or colleagues or external with clients and partners, is the greatest determinant of success. The challenge is having a conceptual framework and analytical way of evaluating and understanding trust. Without the […]