Tag: trust

Learning By Falling Down

“I learn by falling down.”

The above words came to me today from a ten-year old boy named Rocco. I was observing him riding his Hoverboard and couldn’t help but notice his skill. Moving from room to room, or grabbing a snack from the fridge, he just moved effortlessly. I asked him how he learned to maneuver so well, and that’s when gave me the secret.

Learning by falling down is pretty straight forward for a ten-year old. He hasn’t accumulated all the baggage and wounds many adults have. He pretty much wants to be good at his art and sees falling down as an effective tool for learning. Did he ever get embarrassed or want to quit? I would think so, but accomplishing the mission/goal meant more to him than calling it quits.

I’m led to the following:

  • What makes you nervous about falling down?
  • Have you stopped for a moment to examine how much baggage you’ve been lugging around?
  • Are you addressing the wounds? By the way, everyone has at least a few.
  • What would life look like if you fell down more often.

Rocco’s approach is sound to get some success. The key is trusting your gut and the system (i.e. doing this will result in…).

I think I’m going to find some more ten-year olds to hang around with.

Building and Managing Trust

In one of the new ventures I'm working on, I've been brought on to help on multiple fronts. The company is a startup and that implies variety. The biggest job for me, however, is building and managing trust.

I never take this for granted. You shouldn't forget this either.

Building trust comes from a desire to show that you're worth trusting. It can be manifested in your words, but as the saying goes, actions speak louder than words. If you have a relationship with a smart, actively engaged person, then you should expect that your words and actions will be observed for the purposes of building trust. I highly recommend you pay as much attention as possible here because more than likely the person observing you has been burned before.

Everyone been burned before.

Managing trust is the art of gratitude toward the one who has given the trust. When trust is given don't feel like you've arrived and begin to think autopilot is the order of the day. Complacency is sure way to lose everything you've built. I practice on purpose management. For example, what actions am I taking today that enhance or hinder. Ask these questions everyday.

Think of building and managing trust as a form of gardening. Build something beautiful and then keep the weeds out.

Related articles
Humans Being Themselves-2013
Who do you trust?
Connective Parenting Offers Tips on Building Trust Not Fear in Children in Wake of Boston Bombings

The End of Trust

Who do you trust? What do you trust? How do you trust? This is a difficult time for trust in America. Seems like just about everyone is pitching an angle or spin. Many have shrugged and found themselves saying hello to their jaded self.

We've arrived at the end of trust.

It's not so strange when you look back over the last 30 years. In my land of America, we made the mistake of thinking trust didn't need attention. We thought it would take care of itself. Like so many other things in life, trust doesn't just take care of itself. It requires priority and work.

I'll never forget a mentor asking once if I could be trusted with the gifts and talents I'd been given. It cut right through me because I knew he was referring to my ability to understand the meaning of given and my responsibility to live out the trust I ask for from people. That question has been part of my psyche ever since. A gut check for me.

Can you be trusted?

The conclusion is found in the wieght we assign to trust. If it's like a feather, then I hope you'll always be protected because you're going to need it. If it's heavy, I since you'll treat it with great care and respect wherever you give or ask for it.

Trust is a verb like no other in a world that's lost, not found.

The Implications of Trust

Saw this post yesterday in Forbes and it got me thinking about the implications of trust.

What strikes me is how our business culture has forgotten or needs to be taught about how trust is built and kept. We definitely are living in a curious time, when it comes to trust. Seems like many have left trust in dust, even though we say its so important.

The vast advances in learning has led to arrogance on the part of business leaders. This is the type of arrogance that threatens the very enterprises deemed to be so valuable to multiple groups.

Can those (family, friends, company, etc.) conting on you trust you? Are you building and strengthening trust everyday?

When Authentic Was Authentic

Masks 

I shouln't be surprised that we've come to the point where a segment of the marketing universe is coaching "authentic."  Yes, authenticity is now being taught.  I guess it's a new business opportunity to reform the fake.  Judging by this piece from the New York Times, many are jumping on the bandwagon.  But in your gut, you're probably not surprised.

If you're someone who is learning how to express yourself in a way that fits who you are or you are someone who's going through the process of reinvention due to job loss, then I get what you're doing and this post is not meant to rub you the wrong way.

The idea of advisment around authenticity comes from a motivation to build trust.  A trust to buy.  What many businesses forget is people don't trust because those same businesses would rather make a sale than make a long-term relationship.  In a long-term relationship there is a blend of give and take, good and bad, yes and no, you get my point.  From what I see most don't have the desire or stamina to deal with that.  Ironically, I don't know many people who want a one-sided (always in the favor of the business/provider) engagement as a customer or a human being.

What are we doing?  I mean really, is authenticity something that we need to coach?  If it is, then here's my authentic recipe/contribution to those who Really want to be more authentic:

  • Find out why you're here (Planet Earth). 
  • Define what you value most and give unwavering allegiance to those things.
  • Manage happiness and performance on a daily basis.  It's worth your time.
  • Consistently seek to get better through planning and goal setting.
  • Tell other people what you've found and are doing.

That should about cover it.

 

 

Trust Built on Pain

Have you used your experiences with pain (heartache, disappointment, failure) to build trust with your followers?  Do they know where you've hurt?

As crazy as it may seem, it's our experiences with pain that build trust.

It's the "I don't have to look over my shoulder" variety.  So many people/clients/organizations are searching for this even if they don't know it.

Show them the way.