When it comes to building a strong relationship of any kind: trust matters. That applies to friendships, romantic relationships, family, coworkers, everyone! Trust is the currency of relationships, especially romantic ones.
According to David Horsager, author of The Trust Edge: How Top Leaders Gain Faster Results, Deeper Relationships and a Stronger Bottom Line, trust is a confident belief in someone or something. It’s the confident belief in someone to do what’s right and to deliver on what is promised.
Horsager’s research has identified eight pillars which are key to building and supporting trust:
Clarity. People trust the clear and mistrust the ambiguous.
Compassion. People put faith in those who care beyond themselves.
Character. People notice those who do what’s right over what’s easy.
Competency. People have confidence in those who stay fresh, relevant and capable.
Commitment. People believe in those who stand through adversity. In this instance, actions definitely speak louder than words.
Connection. People want to follow, buy from and be around friends. It’s easier to trust a friend than a stranger, so look for ways to engage with people and build relationships.
Contribution. People immediately respond to results. By giving of yourself and your talents, you are investing in others.
Consistency. People love to see the little things done consistently.
Remember, it’s not likely that you’ll get just one big chance to be trusted. Instead, you’ll have thousands of small ones. Just like a savings account, when you respond consistently you will see the results build up over time.
Paraphrased from First Things First