Clipping #49: Whom Do We Trust?

Jenn Morson in Readers’ Digest[1] raised that question. The article began by reminding us that trust is a rare commodity and that we must dig a bit to find who and what we trust these days. Who do you trust? What do you trust?
Morson found that Americans tend to trust nurses, pharmacists, medical doctors, engineers, dentists, police officers, college teachers, and clergy (in that order) more than others. She asked individuals in these professions what they did to establish trust with the people they served. Their thoughts about this are interesting.
Nurse: The people we care for are the most frightened and most vulnerable. They trust that you will give everything you have and that you will be there for them physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Pharmacist: I try to keep in mind that it’s not about me, or proving I am knowledgeable but about meeting their needs.
Medical Doctor: I like to learn more about them before I get to the issue of why they are seeing me. Communication skills are key, as well as showing empathy, understanding, and availability.
Engineer: I do think that most engineers like to follow rules and be organized. They tell you what they think, whether you want to hear it or not. Those are important elements in building trust.
Dentist: For those who want an explanation as I work, I provide that. I tell them they are in control. My goal is to keep them as comfortable as possible. I try to tailor my treatment to their specific needs.
Police Officer: Be equal. Transparent. Communicate fairly and honestly. Most of what we do is service. Your job as a peace officer is to be neutral. Listen.
College Teacher: The ideals of honor, magnanimity, and justice, which were valued by the ancients, have relevance today. My advice: Do no harm. If more people took this simple mantra to heart, we might have a human community with greater bonds of trust.
Clergy: When people talk to me in confidence, no one finds out about it unless I get permission. Trust explicitly includes dependability and predictability. Relationships that are built on trust have as their components honesty, tact, timing, and being as open, honest, and transparent as possible
Who/what do you trust and why?
I invite you to visit the website alignmentnetwork.org and learn about a new and engaging pathway for spiritual discovery.
© The Living Dialog™ Ministries
[1] Readers’ Digest, June 2017

