When it comes to trust-building, excellence matters. It relates to two of four fundamental dimensions of trustworthiness (under the headings “credibility” and “reliability”). There’s a catch, though, because the way you pursue that excellence might actually damage your trust-building efforts.

One of the things I love most about leading workshops is how much I learn from participants. A few years ago, someone offered one of the best and simplest trust-building tips out there. It occurred to me the other day, when I was searching for tip topics, that I haven’t yet mentioned it to you.

The story of a recent email exchange between an employee and her CEO caught my eye, thanks to a colleague who made sure it did. Important trust lessons lie within about (1) the merits of candor and (2) the importance of giving ourselves a certain kind of break.

 

It’s vacation time in the U.S. when most of us try to squeeze as much as possible out of what remains of summer. Out-of-office messages abound. Are you making the most of yours?

 

I led a workshop just last week for a group of super smart people in a super high-tech industry. We talked right away about how trust is personal, as usual. And right away, the question arose, “But when do you know if you’re being too personal? How do you know where to draw the line?”