1. Trust is built over time through consistent, trustworthy actions that make "deposits" into a team's trust "bank account", while inconsistent or untrustworthy actions make "withdrawals". 2. An individual's character affects all areas of their life, so trust cannot be compartmentalized - how someone acts in one context reflects how they can be expected to act in others. 3. Building trust requires honesty with oneself and others, keeping commitments, and admitting and correcting mistakes to restore broken trust through apologies and changed behavior.

1. Trust is an essential part of team effectiveness. However
the strength of trusting relationships varies significantly
based on team dynamics. When teammates trust us, they
truly take a risk. And with each successive time people put
their trust in us and we don't let them down, we reduce
that risk and build a relationship. If you desire to build
your trustworthiness remember these three truths about
trust.

2. 1. Trust begins with yourself "A man who doesn't trust
himself can never truly trust anyone else" - Cardinal de
Retz. You are not capable of honesty with others if you are
not honest with yourself. Any self-deception is the enemy
of team trust. You must admit your shortcomings to
yourself, before you can improve them. The first step in
building trust on your team is to take a good look at
yourself. Are you honest with yourself about how you live
your life? If you say "yes" does that mean yes
unequivocally? Do you consistently follow through with
your commitments? You cannot ask teammates to put
their confidence in you if you have a history of letting
others down. Work on your character first, then your
relationships.

3. 2. Trust cannot be compartmentalized "Relativity applies
to physics, not ethics" - Albert Einstein. I believe many
people today try to compartmentalize their lives. They
believe they can cut corners or compromise their values in
one area of life and it won't affect another area. But
character doesn't work that way. And neither does trust.
You can't have one set of ethics for your business life and
another for your personal life. Trust won't work that way.
If someone asks you to help him in a lie, don't believe he
will avoid lying to you whenever it's convenient. What a
person will do with you, he'll also do to you. An
individual's character eventually bleeds into every aspect
of his life.

4. 3. Trust works like a bank account "In a networked world,
trust is the most important currency" - Eric Schmidt. Trust
in teams is like a bank account among the teammates. You
have to keep making relationship "deposits" if you want
team trust to grow. On occasion, things will go wrong, and
you will have to make a "withdrawal." When some one
new joins your team you start fresh with that person.
Their team bank account has a zero balance. If the person
is initially trusting and generous, you may begin with a
small balance. If he is suspicious or hurting, you begin with
a deficit. Each time you do something to build trust, you
put a deposit into the team account. Each time you do
something negative, you make a withdrawal. Do enough
negative things - due to lack of character or competence -
and your account team becomes bankrupt.

5. This dynamic works in every area of your life. Trust is the
currency of relationships. Constant withdrawals will
bankrupt your team relationships; cause you to lose your
job, and your friends. If this is a new concept to you, then
you need to ask yourself some questions at the end of
each day:

6. Am I making deposits? Think about your most important
relationships. Are you exhibiting trustworthy behavior
that's putting relational money in the bank?

7. Am I making withdrawals? Have you undermined trust in
any of those important relationships? If so, you need to try
to make things right. Don't wait another minute to take
the appropriate action by doing the following:

8. a. Apologize.

9. b. Ask yourself why you broke trust.

10. c. Correct the issue in your life.

11. d. Recognize that it takes longer to restore trust than to
lose it.

12. a. Remember, trust is restored by deeds, not words.

13. Am I compounding my trust? Once you create an account
of trust it becomes tradition. Existing team members will
establish your credibility with new comers. You can
develop so much trust that it actually builds without
additional deposits. But it takes time and consistency.

14. Take the plunge. I'm not saying you will never get hurt.
You might. But I can say this: you'll never experience the
joy that comes only from relationships unless you're
willing to make building trust with others a priority.
Martin Luther King said, "The time is always right to do
what is right."

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