This week got off to a rocky start with the realization that my computer, which had been coughing and sputtering for several days, was officially on life support. So I scrambled to deal with this major productivity hit while of course muttering multiple times to myself, “Will it matter a year from now?”

 

I recall the time I ran for a seat on the condo board of what was then a brand new community. I lost. In front of about 60 people. Looking back at what worked and didn’t about my little platform speech (I had three minutes to pitch myself to the group), I see three important lessons about trust-building to tease out of my defeat.

 

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?”

A client of mine who’s based in India once told a story that perfectly illustrates the value of candor as a quick credibility-builder (say that 10 times fast). Sriram works for a global consulting firm. Charlie and I included his story in The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook. I’ll let Sriram tell it to you himself:

Cautionary tales seem to be a theme right now. In last week’s tip, I shared one about how we respond when we feel threatened—as in, when we might lose business. This week, it’s about using the bcc (blind copy) option in email.