The Roman poet, Ovid, was onto something really important for us 21^st century professionals when he said, “Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.”

If I had to do it all over again, I’d rewrite the list of six risks to take to build trust to add a seventh: bring humor to your conversations. This Weekly Tip recounts a story told by a big accounting firm partner that perfectly illustrates why, and provides four ways you can use humor to connect with your clients.

I got a flyer in my mailbox the other day that first I loved, and then I hated. Emotional roller coaster aside, I recognized a critical trust lesson for us all that has to do with true customer focus. It’s more evasive than we realize.