Trust is everything.Nothing can be

Trust is everything.

Nothing can be done without it.

It can take years to build, but one moment to lose it.

These are words that I know are important to know as a leader.  It is essential to me that I focus on building trust with my staff every day and that I always recognize the importance of it within our building.

Here are only some of the essentials that I believe in building trust:

1.  Extend trust – If you want people to trust you, you must show that you trust them first.

2.  Be open and honest -  There are many times where tough conversations are needed to be had with the group or individuals.  Trust that the people you work with can take the bad news and deal with it, and would much rather KNOW than wonder.

3.  Admit mistakes -  If you screw up, say it.  Do not try to hide it.  Not only will you build trust amongst those you work with,  you will also build an environment that promotes risk taking.

4.  Listen – Hear what people are saying, consider it, and act upon it.  Even if you do not agree, when people see that you are legitimately listening to their thoughts, you will build upon your relationships with them.  There is a difference between not listening and not agreeing.  You do not have to always agree, but it is important that you always consider.

There are many other ways that you can build trust but these are just some that I continuously work on.  These qualities do not only relate to leaders, but the relate to any type of relationship.

If you want things to get done effectively, trust is everything.