If you’re suffering from Spring Fever like I am, you probably can’t tolerate anything too heavy or serious right now. So, this week I’m offering up a humorous (albeit poignant) example of a trust-building way to deliver a tough message.

Last week’s tip about the value of candor when you’ve screwed up triggered another walk down memory lane, to a time shortly before Charlie Green and I joined forces, when a colleague’s courageous admission taught me an unexpected lesson about trust-building.

Join me as we roll the clocks back.

Something recently made me think about a check I bounced about a gazillion years ago. (Some of you might actually remember the days of writing checks.) Reflecting on the situation and how I handled it then, I see two important trust-building lessons worth featuring today.

We can all benefit from learning how to be found a smidge more charming by clients, even the humblest of introverts among us. Not in a disingenuous way, of course, but in a way that creates an immediate and meaningful connection. This Weekly Tip gives you an unexpected insight into how to do that—one that’s also surprisingly palatable and easy.

Every once-in-a-while, Charlie Green and I are in the same place at the same time. I recently got to hear him speak at a DC-area event, and a conversation with an attendee reminded me of a simple yet critical lesson. This one applies to at least three kinds of client communications, including how you write your proposals.

Last week’s tip focused on what I’ve recently come to call “micro-moments,” and how you train yourself to respond in them. I included concrete suggestions for the most trustworthy responses in two scenarios. This week, I add two more.