Trust is central to every interaction we have as human beings. The level of trust you want in these interactions can vary. Think of how much confidence you invest in your best friend when you share a secret with him or her. Compare that to how much trust you put in the guy at the coffee shop when he rings up your order.
There are an infinite number of levels of trust. However, the things that make somebody trustworthy or untrustworthy are roughly the same.
Consider the examples above. You’re telling you best friend and coworker that you plan to start looking for a new job. You notice he’s not really making eye contact, and as soon as you tell him, he immediately pulls up another coworker on his phone and starts typing a text message to her.
Or you’re at the coffee shop and you hand the clerk your credit card to pay. You notice him take the credit card out of the room for a second. He seems nervous as he tells you that the credit card terminal up front isn’t working so he has to run it in back. Once he comes out from the back room, the terminal is magically fixed and he’s able to run it.
On the opposite side, think of the people you trust most. What are some things that make them trustworthy?
Trust is a big deal. Learning how to communicate well will increase your trustworthiness in both professional and personal settings. You’ll be surprised by the kind of big responsibilities and opportunities to impress you’re given when others see you as extremely trustworthy.
If you want to learn more about how you can maximize your potential by communicating in a trustworthy way, check out our free video course on trust and communication!
