Trust

Here is the definition of Trust

trust
–noun
1. reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence.
2. confident expectation of something; hope.
3. confidence in the certainty of future payment for property or goods received; credit: to sell merchandise on trust.
4. a person on whom or thing on which one relies: God is my trust.
5. the condition of one to whom something has been entrusted.
6. the obligation or responsibility imposed on a person in whom confidence or authority is placed: a position of trust.
7. charge, custody, or care: to leave valuables in someone's trust.
8. something committed or entrusted to one's care for use or safekeeping, as an office, duty, or the like; responsibility; charge.
9. Law. a. a fiduciary relationship in which one person (the trustee) holds the title to property (the trust estate or trust property) for the benefit of another (the beneficiary).
b. the property or funds so held.

10. Commerce. a. an illegal combination of industrial or commercial companies in which the stock of the constituent companies is controlled by a central board of trustees, thus making it possible to manage the companies so as to minimize production costs, control prices, eliminate competition, etc.
b. any large industrial or commercial corporation or combination having a monopolistic or semimonopolistic control over the production of some commodity or service.

11. Archaic. reliability.
–adjective 12. Law. of or pertaining to trusts or a trust.
–verb (used without object) 13. to rely upon or place confidence in someone or something (usually fol. by in or to): to trust in another's honesty; trusting to luck.
14. to have confidence; hope: Things work out if one only trusts.
15. to sell merchandise on credit.
–verb (used with object) 16. to have trust or confidence in; rely or depend on.
17. to believe.
18. to expect confidently; hope (usually fol. by a clause or infinitive as object): trusting the job would soon be finished; trusting to find oil on the land.
19. to commit or consign with trust or confidence.
20. to permit to remain or go somewhere or to do something without fear of consequences: He does not trust his children out of his sight.
21. to invest with a trust; entrust with something.
22. to give credit to (a person) for goods, services, etc., supplied: Will you trust us till payday?

As a leader or colleague, trust is not something you gain right away. Yes, some might give you the initial benefit of the doubt, but serious trust takes time. When I say "takes time", this is not that you meet someone one day and wait a year (never talking to that person), and show up and WOW, there is trust. Time is NOT an event. Trust takes a consistent and regular interaction over time; those are specific events that build trust (which is a two-way street). The easiest way to achieve trust as a leader or with colleagues is to "do what you say". Some might disagree with what you say, but you back up with specific actions (you can still trust someone even if you disagree with them). As a new leader, building trust is paramount to your success; you will not achieve organizational success if the staff do not trust you. You are their leader and they need that confidence of leading them in the right direction!

Silence or lack of communications can damage achieving trust. What is the leader thinking or doing? How do we achieve? Why was that decision made? Does the leader know what they are doing? When these questions are being asked, trust is slowly being damaged.

You know you have been there . . . a colleague or leader says that will do something, and does not get done or, in the worse case, something different is done. How did you feel? What happens the next time the person says something? It takes a long time to believe in that individual again and in the meantime, productivity is slowed because you in a limbo. You will constantly be asking, will this person really mean what they say this time?

So as a leader, gain the trust . . . make sure you communicate, and when you communicate, make sure you follow what you say! Trust is a special thing that is not easily granted, and it is key to the success of the unit!

In You I trust!