Writing about the power of reciprocity last week got me thinking about a list I created several years ago.

Every once-in-a-while I read my own book.

By that I mean I pause to review material from The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook that’s not on my default list of “go to” pages.

I was leading a workshop last week and we got to talking about how to deliver rejection messages: you weren’t chosen, your recommendation wasn’t accepted, you aren’t getting the special dispensation you asked for. These are difficult messages to both send and receive. How you approach them speaks volumes about you.

Writing about why I hate confessing and do it anyway last week has got me thinking about another kind of confession that builds trust.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the power of confessions. I don’t mean the criminal or religious kind; I mean garden-variety acknowledgments and admissions. They have a curious relationship to trust-building.