I recently got to be on the receiving end of a poorly-delivered message, and in this case the likely impact for the bearer of the bad news is no future business with me. Read on to find out what he could have done (and what you can do) to be sure bad news doesn’t cost so dearly.

A few tips ago, I mentioned that I’ve always said the best litmus test for the true effectiveness of any sales training—or sales methodology or process or whatever—is to imagine your clients being privy to everything that’s communicated. E-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. Try this simple test to see how you fare.

Thanks to my mom, I developed a habit when I was young that serves me well to this day, especially when it comes to developing client relationships. According to a recent New York Times article reporting a study in the journal Psychological Science, we can all benefit from a variation of what Mom taught me—provided we can get past our misguided assumptions.

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.

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.