The Importance of Trust

The title of this post obviously ties back to the book we have discussed in class recently.  However, I don't intend to talk about the book. This semester I have learned a lot about the importance of trust.  I know it sounds a little bit juvenile but I feel like trust is something we take for granted very easily these days.

I'm a business major and a member of a business leadership program where we have discussed many topics that pertain to being an effective leader.  One of the most important skills we have learned about is trust.  Of course, it's not like this is a newly developed skill I have learned this year (that would be rather sad, to say the least). No no no.  The type of trust I am talking about is different.

There have been many ethical scandals in the professional world in the past couple of years.  For example, I just learned all about the Madoff scandal.  To keep you from falling asleep I break it down.  Basically, this man lied to people about where he was putting their money and eventually the whole thing fell through.  He got arrested and unfortunately many people lost a ton of money.  He clearly needed a lesson on being trustworthy and making ethical decisions.

As we get older, I've started to realize that we are transitioning from a state of being independent to interdependent.  This means sooner or later we are going to have work together with others to get the job done.  There comes a point in our lives were we have to work with others because we simply don't have the talent or experience to do what needs to be done. It's scary to think that my company's well being may rely on a supplier or on the way our CEO performs.  But I've learned that you just have to trust in people. 

I've also learned how important it is to become trustworthy myself.  To me being trustworthy means that people trust my word.  In order to build your trustworthiness, you have to keep commitments and honor your promises.  This is true for one's professional and personal life.  I've learned how hard it is to gain trust and how easily it can be lost. 

The lesson of trust may seem like a "no brainer" but I think it's important to remember how important it is to our relationships.  I truly believe its the foundation to all of them.  You can't have a relationship with anyone if you are always worried about what they might be doing behind your back.

I'm happy I'm learning how to be able to trust better and how to become more trustworthy.  George MacDonald once said, "To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved." This is a perfect reminder to always be honest and truthful.

Til next time,
Caroline