TITLE : Relationships 101 : Growth & Development Of Relationships 19

Trust: The Foundation of Leadership

DON’T LET BROKEN TRUST RUST OUT YOUR RELATIONSHIPS

“To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved.” ~George MacDonald

We're currently in the third section, nineteenth episode of "Relationships 101", which covers the growth and development of relationships.
Today I would like to talk to you about the topic of trust and how you can repair broken trust.

A relationship that is not built on solid trust will soon rust. When you’ve broken a teammate’s trust, don’t let the relationship rust; take action immediately to repair and restore it.
I consider it a great privilege when people share their dreams, weaknesses, secret or life story with me. It shows a great deal of courage and trust. And at that moment, I'm conscious that I have great power in their lives. That's no small matter. A wrong word can crush the relationship. If someone thinks enough of you to trust you about his or her life, take care.

As a leader, you’re out in front casting vision and giving direction. You’re vocal and highly visible; your words and deeds affect a lot of people. You must be tact in communication. Relationship is 85% communication. Ever since I knew the impact of words on people I'm careful to speak what will hurt the person. A leader must be tact in communication. Eventually, you’re going to say or do something that violates another person’s trust in you. You’ll deliver criticism at the wrong time, speak more harshly than a situation merits, forget to fulfill a promise, etc. However, it’s not an initial misstep, but the poor response to it, that does the most damage in a relationship.

Steps to Repair Trust in Your Relationships:

#1 Acknowledge That Trust Has Been Broken

Rust on the body of an automobile may barely be noticed at first, and it poses no immediate threat. However, if not dealt with sooner or later, it will cause a problem. Rust slowly corrodes metal and thus eats away at the frame of the vehicle, damaging its structural integrity. Like a car owner who would rather overlook the rust on his vehicle than spend time and money to fix it, we often ignore having violated trust in our relationships.

#2 Choose to Forgive the Other Person’s Misbehavior

Once we acknowledge that we’ve broken someone’s trust, we also have to seek forgiveness. We must choose to forgive before we will be able to sincerely work to repair trust in the relationship. People who have difficulty forgiving others do not have a realistic view of their own fallibilities and weaknesses. By withholding forgiveness, we’re operating under the assumption that we do everything right. The moment we realize how much we mess up and stand in need of forgiveness, we become more understanding and forgiving of others.

#3 Admit Your Responsibility and Apologize

Admit that what you did was wrong and say you are sorry. It may be painful for the moment, but it strengthens the relationship in the long run.
Apologizing isn’t costly; making amends is. Whenever possible, make restitution to those you have harmed. Say you’re sorry with your actions and not just your words.

Life is more scenic on the high road! Be quick to accept responsibility for the part you have played in damaging trust in a relationship. The only way you can make a man trustworthy is by trusting him; and the surest way to make him untrustworthy is to distrust him and show your distrust.” Haven’t you found that to be true of yourself? We all want to be trusted. And by taking the leap of faith to trust in someone, you give them a gift that they usually want to repay. Remember, the greatest gift anyone can ever give you is not their time, energy, or effort, affection but their trust. So do everything in your power to deserve it and to preserve it.