It’s once again a popular vacation time in the U.S. and other parts of the world. Out-of-office messages (OOMs) abound. They’re a curiously potent way of making a lasting impression. Are you making the most of yours—now and always?

Have you ever run across a phrase that you never want to forget? I did, just a few weeks ago. I’m sharing it with you in turn since you’re likely reading this in search of ways to be more than just plain good at relationship-building; you want to be masterful. This phrase will help you do exactly that.

The Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle is reported to have said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” And so it is with trustworthy behaviors. This tip shares a simple structure to help you develop habits that can improve all your stakeholder relationships, with ease and maybe even a little fun.

Last week’s tip about high self-orientation reminded me of a funny and instructive story about Big S issues (mine). It includes important signs to look for that will help you up your trust game.

Some years ago, I had an experience with an airline that shed light on the difference between a fake win-win and a real win-win. In short, the difference boiled down to incentives. The lesson for us all:  mind your motives. Are yours always as squeaky clean as they could be?