When People Don’t FEEL Heard

I misspoke yesterday and it illustrated a very important point.  I was teaching a class on communication skills, particularly the skill of listening.  Listening is definitely not a skill we are trained in.  And true listening is a practice few of us engage in. I was talking about the myriad of reasons why listening is […]

What do I do When They Don’t Keep Their Agreements?

I posted a blog a couple days ago on making clear agreements.  I laid out the following 3 elements for an agreement: 1.  When we are in a meeting with several people (or even 2), ask specifically “who will do this?” and wait for a response.  If no response, then state clearly, “No one has […]

3 Steps for Making Clear Agreements

Making and Keeping Agreements How do we move forward in business?  There are so many elements, but one indispensable element of forward-movement is making and keeping agreements.  If you think about it, the only reason we ever make agreements is to move forward: “I will get it to you by Friday.” “I will be at […]

Trust-Building Behavior #13 – Extend Trust

Trust-Building Behavior #13  Extend Trust This is the final tip of my series, which has been adapted from the Stephen M.R. Covey book, The Speed of Trust.  I can highly recommend this book to learn more on the subject of trust. Today’s tip is one you can learn more about in a book called Building Trust, […]

Trust-Building Behavior #12 – Keep Commitments

Trust-Building Behavior #12 — Keep Commitments             There is nothing that builds trust like delivering results.  In its simplest fashion, what this behavior refers to is keeping promises.  At the end of the day, people trust you more based on your action than on your words.  There are many quotes and sayings that speak to […]

Trust-Building Behavior #11 – Seek First to Understand

Trust-Building Practice #11 – Seek First to Understand and Then to be Understood             Trust is built when people feel they are being heard.  Stop now & remember a specific person, who does not, or did not, really listen to you.  Recall how you felt not being heard.  Chances are good that this “broke trust” […]

Trust-Building Behavior #10 – Practice Accountability

Trust-Building Practice #10 – Practice Accountability                 This is my favorite trust-building tip.  I teach this principle to all my clients because true accountability is an empowering practice.  I believe it is the key to personal freedom – freedom from being (feeling that we are) at the effect of all our circumstances, freedom from feeling we […]

Trust-Building Behavior #9 – Clarify Expectations

Trust-Building Behavior Number 9 – Clarify Expectations             Have you ever had this experience?  You make an agreement, you deliver on the agreement, and then later, the person you made the agreement with accuses you of failing to keep your agreement.  What happened?  Often this is a result of unclear expectations.             Clear communication is […]

Trust-Building Behavior #8 – Say What is So

Trust-Building Behavior #8 – Say What is so                 In this section, we will discuss telling the truth about (1) the kinds of things we don’t want to see and therefore ignore; and (2) the kinds of things we often don’t tell the truth about. 1.            Things we Ignore                 In this behavior, I am […]

Trust-Building Behavior #7 – Get Better

Trust-Building Behavior #7 – Get Better Why it Builds Trust “Get better” means to constantly improve; to always be in a state of learning and openness to new ideas.  Why does this build trust?  When people experience you as always reaching for what is next and always searching for answers and new ways of doing […]