“I don’t trust words, I even question actions, but I never doubt patterns.”

-Unknown

Trust just keeps on coming up.

In an age of #metoo and diversity and inclusion, trust is always on the mind. In an era of data breaches, scandals and hastily tweeted apologies, companies and personal brands alike have finally figured out that if we can’t trust, them, we won’t stay with them (sounds like an angsty pop song!). But while the PR firms spend time perfecting their apologies (#sorrynotsorry) few if any seem to have figured out how to avoid breaking our trust in the first place.

Trust is never given, it must be built and maintained. It has been said that it takes a lifetime to build trust, but only an instant to destroy it. It is interesting to note that the adjective form of “trust” is “trustworthiness” — one must be worthy of trust in order to build it.

“The first job of a leader — at work or at home — is to inspire trust. It’s to bring out the best in people by entrusting them with meaningful stewardships, and to create an environment in which high-trust interaction inspires creativity and possibility.” ―Stephen M.R. Covey

So how do we build trust at work?

Make a PACT:

Predictability

“Building trust is a process. Trust results from consistent and predictable interaction over time.” — Barbara M White

What is the single most important thing you can give your baby when you bring him/her home? No, it’s not love. No, it’s not cute clothes or a nice crib or a roof over their heads. It is predictability. Infants crave predictability. Don’t take my word for it, ask Dr. Erik Erikkson child psychologist. According to him, the greatest challenge an infant has is to determine whether or not she should trust her parents, and the greatest determinant of that is their predictability. Do you meet the child’s needs consistently and predictably during those formative years? It sets the stage for trust to develop with caregivers and with all others.

Fast forward to the workplace, and what has changed? Thanks to those early life experiences, we have learned our own style of trust, meaning some people have just been wired to trust while others will naturally be more cynical and anxious, but trust itself is still based on that original premise: predictability — a basic understanding that needs will be met. Mutual predictability is the foundation upon which the trust can be built.

• Be where you say you will be.
• Treat every meeting as though it is important
• Establish and communicate predictable protocols/service standards and meet them
• Ask your colleagues what they need to succeed, and assist them as you are able

Actions

“We judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their behavior. This is why, as we’ll discuss later, one of the fastest ways to restore trust is to make and keep commitments — even very small commitments — to ourselves and to others.” ― Stephen M.R. Covey

Until we can read others’ minds, we can only guess at their intentions — but we can see and measure their actions — and that is a two-way street. Regardless of what you meant to do or hoped to happen, your actions speak louder. It is a critical skill to act in a way that is aligned with your intentions. It is in doing this that others learn that you can be trusted.

• Demonstrate that you trust others
• Do what you say you are going to do

Communication

“Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing” — Rollo May

Communication is a specialized type of action that uses ideas and words to convey intentions, and arguably form the bulk of the “actions” that those in the knowledge economy make. It is critical to make use of the tools of communication, aligned with your intentions, to demonstrate your trustworthiness.

• Tell others that you trust them
• Communicate clearly, fairly, and directly to the person(s) involved
• Communication means listening at least as much as you’re talking

Trust

“Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.”
— Stephen Covey

Trust is the vertex, the careful balance upon which healthy relationships grow. To truly be trustworthy, to be predictable and show your intentions honestly through actions and communications is indeed a PACT that only you can make with yourself.

It is a curious characteristic of trust that only those who offer trust can be seen as trustworthy. A Lao Tzu put it:

“He who does not trust enough, will not be trusted.” — Lao Tzu

• It’s a two-way street
• Trust takes a long time to build, but mere seconds to destroy.

Trust is built painstakingly on predictability and intentions that are matched by our every action and communication. It is a transaction — nay, and interaction — that is risky for both parties, but if honoured by both parties pays dividends in terms of speed of work and communication. Stephen Covey’s trust economics buts the principle elegantly:

↓Trust = ↓Speed , ↑Cost

Can you commit to making the PACT with yourself?

-Jessica @StigmaCrusher Ward-King

The Deputy Ministers Task Force on Public Sector Innovation, mandated to play an action-oriented role in experimenting with emerging tools and approaches, has identified workplace well-being as a key priority project for the Government of Canada Entrepreneurs. With the support of the Task Force, GC Entrepreneurs are exploring how technology-based solutions can be used to promote workplace well-being. Learn more