To be trustworthy -- worthy of trust -- is the essence of good character, and the foundation of strong relationships whether personal, professional, or corporate.
Our intimate personal relationships are always grounded in trust -- or at least, the successful ones are. Wife/husband, parent/child, friend/friend -- each of us has only a handful of people with whom we can be truly open and honest. There is a risk to honesty; it makes us vulnerable. We reveal our fears and failings only to those few we love, because we trust them not to use our weaknesses against us. If that trust is ever betrayed, it’s very, very hard to regain.
Professional relationships also depend on trust, though in a different context. When people work closely together, each depends on the other(s) to fulfill their commitment, to be honest and ethical, to communicate, and to follow through. Whether the relationship is employer/employee,co-workers on a project, teammates seeking a championship, a fiduciary relationship such as attorney/client, or a supportive role in a volunteer or nonprofit setting, trust is a crucial element when people work together.
A company’s relationship with its customers is built on trust as well. For a sum of money, a customer purchases a product or service, trusting that its value will be as expected -- or, if not, that the company will make proper amends. It’s a short-sighted company that takes its payment and then turns its corporate back on the customer. Next time, that customer will buy the product elsewhere.
Trust is so crucial that, before entering into a new relationship, people do research. They ask their friends for referrals. They check out reviews. They query online user groups and forums. Do you know a good Realtor? Who cuts your hair? What did Consumer Reports say about this camera? How many stars did that app get? A good reputation or a bad one: The truth will out.
Lack of trust is a deal-killer. “I don’t trust him (or her or them or that company)” is the harshest, most final of indictments. Other issues can be talked through, forgiven, and forgotten. A betrayal of trust damages a relationship at the deepest level.
It’s no small thing, to be trustworthy. In relationships, it may be the biggest thing of all.
[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.]
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