TRUST

TRUST: Have you ever known a person of good character whom you didn’t trust?

Of course not! Character and trust – or more accurately, trustworthiness – go hand in hand. Good people just naturally do things that EARN them the trust of others. They are honest and open…competent and knowledgeable. They are consistent and considerate. They display concern for others’ well being as well as their own – sometimes before their own. And most importantly, they honor their promises and commitments.

-Be a person of your word. Write down all promises and agreements you make…and honor them. Remember: One broken promise overshadows five promises kept.

For trustworthy people, their word is their bond. If they say they’ll do something – whether “important” or seemingly insignificant – they make sure they remember it…and they DO it. They count on the fact that others can count on them. And they understand that statements like “I was gonna,” “I meant to,” and “I haven’t forgotten” all translate the same way: I JUST DIDN’T DO IT!

Hold everyone accountable for doing their jobs so that no one has to pick up the slack for others.
Those are excuses; they’re rationalizations for inaction. And as such, they’re close to meaningless. As we’ve said before, most individuals really are well meaning. With few exceptions, all people intend to keep their word. But good intentions alone won’t carry the day. Fact is, we get no “points” for them. Points come only when we deliver…when we DO things that are trustworthy…when we walk our talk.

Make sure you walk the talk – earn the right to hold others to high standards by meeting them yourself.