Trust and Integrity

Trust is a funny thing.

You know when you have it, but you also know when you’ve lost it.

Sometime it takes time for a feeling of trust to develop, while at other times it just comes with the territory and you don’t really question it, until something happens to make you a disbeliever.

The ability to trust begins at a very early age.

The infant learns that food is always forthcoming. A parent (or parents) provides comfort, shelter, warmth, clean clothes, security, and positive feelings of love and care. The infant learns over time that the parents(s) always come home after work, or an evening out. There is consistency from the parent(s) in many forms that engenders trust which can, and will, impact our ability to trust as we grow older.

Sadly, it is not always that way. In a previous life as a psychologist working with infants and toddlers I saw far too many instances where trust was destroyed – by drugs, alcohol abuse, and abandonment or loss of the parent(s).

One has to wonder how those youngsters grew up and were they able to trust again?

In our business trust is essential, although no doubt transactions can and do occur when trust does not. But trust goes along way toward making a better transaction for all concerned. It helps keep emotions in check when problems arise if you trust someone. And allowing them to help you solve the problems, or trusting them to do so.

We want, and expect, people to trust us. To trust that we will do as we say we will.

I think most people enter into a relationship with us wanting to trust us, in real estate and otherwise. For some it may take a while, but sometimes it develops quickly.

And it can be destroyed quickly as well.

Trust and integrity are intimately entwined.

I believe our integrity, “consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes,” truly allows us to trust, and to be trusted by others. And thus once trust is lost it is not easily regained, in real estate or the real world.

And if we cannot be consistent in our actions, values, methods, measures, principles and outcomes, can we really expect others to trust us?

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This post is a submission to the ActiveRain / Adobe EchoSign Trust Contest. I could possibly win a prize. You can find out about the contest by clicking here