Tag Building Trust

How to Evaluate Yourself as a Leader: A Practical Guide to Self-Assessment

Steve Keating Leave a comment

Leadership is a never-ending journey of growth. It requires self-awareness, adaptability, and a commitment to continuous improvement. That’s why evaluating yourself as a leader is so crucial to your long-term success. Self-evaluation is a powerful way to identify your strengths, uncover areas for development, and ensure you’re effectively guiding your team toward success. In this post, we’ll look at practical steps to assess your leadership skills, reflect on your impact, and set a course for growth.

Why Self-Evaluation Matters for Leaders

Self-evaluation is more than just a personal check-in; it’s a proactive step to align your actions with your values and goals. By regularly assessing your leadership, you can:

• Gain Clarity: Understand how your behaviors and decisions impact your team.

• Build Trust: Demonstrate accountability by recognizing and addressing your weaknesses.

• Drive Growth: Identify opportunities to enhance your skills and leadership style.

• Inspire Others: Model self-reflection, encouraging your team to grow alongside you.

Let’s dive into a step-by-step guide to evaluating yourself as a leader.

Step 1: Define Your Leadership Values and Goals

Before you can evaluate your performance, you need a clear benchmark. Start by reflecting on your core leadership values and goals:

• What kind of leader do you want to be? Are you aiming to be collaborative, decisive, empathetic, or innovative? Perhaps all of the above? Write down 3-5 core values that define your leadership philosophy.

• What are your goals? Consider both short-term objectives (e.g., improving team communication) and long-term aspirations (e.g., fostering a culture of innovation).

• How do these align with your organization’s mission? Ensure your personal leadership goals support the broader vision of your team or company.

Action Tip: Create a “Leadership Mission Statement” that encapsulates your values and goals. For example: “I strive to lead with empathy and clarity, empowering my team to achieve excellence while fostering a culture of trust and collaboration.” Post your mission statement where others can see it. That will help create accountability and build a bridge to step 2.

Step 2: Seek Feedback from Others

Self-evaluation is incomplete without external perspectives. Others can provide insights into how your leadership is perceived and its impact on the team. Here’s how to gather meaningful feedback:

• Ask for 360-degree feedback: Collect input from peers, direct reports, and supervisors. Use anonymous surveys or one-on-one conversations to encourage honesty.

• Ask specific questions: Instead of vague prompts like “How am I doing?”, ask targeted questions such as:

• “What’s one thing I do well as a leader?”

• “What’s one area where I could improve my support for the team?”

• Listen without defensiveness: Approach feedback with an open mind, focusing on growth rather than justification.

Action Tip: Use a tool like Google Forms or a platform like SurveyMonkey to create a simple, anonymous feedback survey. Schedule follow-up discussions with your team to clarify feedback and show your commitment to acting on it.

Step 3: Assess Your Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

I’m really close to saying that EQ is even more important for a leader than IQ. That’s because emotional intelligence is a cornerstone of effective leadership. It involves self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and relationship management. To evaluate your EQ:

• Self-Awareness: Reflect on how well you understand your emotions and their impact on your decisions. Do you recognize when stress or frustration affects your leadership?

• Self-Regulation: Consider how you handle challenges. Do you stay calm under pressure, or do you react impulsively?

• Empathy: Ask yourself how well you understand and respond to your team’s needs. Do you actively listen and show genuine care for their perspectives?

• Relationship Management: Evaluate your ability to build trust, resolve conflicts, and inspire collaboration.

Action Tip: Take an online EQ assessment, such as the Emotional Intelligence Appraisal by TalentSmart, or journal about a recent leadership challenge to analyze how your emotions influenced your actions.

Step 4: Review Your Decision-Making and Results

Leadership is often judged by outcomes. Evaluate your decision-making process and the results of your leadership:

• Decision-Making Process: Are your decisions informed, inclusive, and aligned with your values? Do you seek different perspectives before acting?

• Impact on Team Performance: Look at measurable outcomes, such as team productivity, morale, or project success. Have your actions led to positive results?

• Adaptability: Reflect on how you handle change or uncertainty. Do you pivot effectively when faced with challenges?

Action Tip: Review a recent project or initiative you led. Write down what went well, what didn’t, and one decision you would approach differently next time. Use this to identify patterns in your leadership style.

Step 5: Evaluate Your Communication Skills

Effective communication is critical for leadership success. Assess how well you convey ideas, listen, and encourage open dialogue.

• Clarity: Do you articulate goals and expectations clearly? Are your instructions easy to understand?

• Active Listening: Do you genuinely listen to your team’s ideas and concerns, or do you dominate conversations?

• Feedback Delivery: Are you constructive and specific when providing feedback? Do you balance praise with areas for improvement?

Action Tip: Record a team meeting (with permission) or ask a trusted colleague to observe your communication style. Note areas where you excel or could improve, such as body language or tone.

Step 6: Reflect on Your Team’s Growth and Engagement

A leader’s success is tied to their team’s growth and motivation. Evaluate how you are fostering a positive and productive environment:

• Team Development: Are you providing opportunities for your team to learn and grow? Do you delegate effectively to build their skills?

• Engagement: Are team members motivated and committed? Do they feel valued and empowered?

• Culture: What kind of culture are you creating? Is it inclusive, collaborative, and aligned with your values?

Action Tip: Conduct a “stay interview” with team members to understand what keeps them engaged and what could improve their experience. Use their insights to assess your impact as a leader.

Step 7: Set Goals for Improvement

Self-evaluation is only effective if it leads to action. Based on your reflections and feedback, identify 1-3 areas for improvement and create a plan:

• Be Specific: Instead of “I’ll be a better communicator,” aim for “I’ll practice active listening by summarizing team members’ points in meetings.”

• Set Measurable Goals: For example, “I will implement monthly one-on-one check-ins with my team to improve engagement.”

• Seek Resources: Consider leadership training, books (e.g., The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni), or a mentor to support your growth.

Action Tip: Create a 30-60-90-day plan outlining specific actions you will take to improve. Review your progress regularly to stay accountable.

Step 8: Make Self-Evaluation a Habit

Leadership evaluation isn’t a one-time task—it’s an ongoing practice. Build self-reflection into your routine:

• Daily Reflection: Spend 5 minutes at the end of each day journaling about a leadership moment—what went well and what could be better.

• Monthly Check-Ins: Revisit your leadership mission statement and goals to ensure you’re on track.

• Annual Deep Dive: Conduct a comprehensive self-assessment, including 360-degree feedback, to measure your growth over time.

Action Tip: Use a journal or app like Evernote to track your reflections and progress. Set calendar reminders for monthly and annual check-ins.

Final Thoughts

Evaluating yourself as a leader requires honesty, humility, and a commitment to growth. By defining your values, seeking feedback, assessing your emotional intelligence, and reflecting on your impact, you can gain a clear picture of your strengths and areas for improvement.

The goal isn’t perfection but progress—each step you take toward becoming a better leader inspires your team and drives meaningful results. As you become a more effective leader, your team becomes more effective as well. And never forget, not even for a moment, that your leadership is not about you; it’s ALL about the people you lead.

So, take the first step today: carve out 15 minutes to reflect on one aspect of your leadership, such as how you handled a recent challenge. Then, commit to one small action to improve. Your team—and your future self—will thank you for it.

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Strategies for Building Trust

Steve Keating Leave a comment

If you have the audacity to call yourself a leader, then you best be certain that you have some followers. Actual followers, people who are committed to you as a leader. People who follow you because of what you’ve done for them or other people in the organization.

Absent some level of commitment, there is no true followership. And this is key; any level of commitment requires trust, a two-way street kind of trust. If you’re in a leadership position, you must, at all times, work to ensure that the people you lead see you as trustworthy.

Building trust requires consistent effort. It requires a commitment to ethics. It requires a leader who is thoughtful enough to ensure that their actions match their words. ALL THE TIME! Building trust is not, and cannot be, a part-time job.

Building trust within your team is crucial for developing collaboration, engagement, and productivity. People who lack trust in their leaders will lack the motivation to give their best effort. People who cannot trust their leaders simply cannot make the emotional connection required to commit to them.

Here are some key strategies to establish AND maintain trust.

1. Lead by Example

Demonstrate integrity, honesty, and reliability in all your actions.

Follow through on every commitment and hold yourself accountable.

Show the same level of respect and professionalism that you expect from others.

2. Communicate Transparently

Share relevant information openly and honestly. The more information you withhold, the more rumors you create. The more rumors you create, the less trust you’ll have in your organization.

Encourage two-way communication—listen actively and provide constructive feedback.

Address concerns and uncertainties rather than letting rumors spread. Information is the enemy of rumors; never lose sight of that fact.

3. Show Empathy and Support

Understand and acknowledge your team members’ challenges and emotions.

Offer support during difficult times and celebrate successes together.

Be approachable and foster an environment where team members feel valued.

4. Encourage Collaboration

Create opportunities for teamwork and cross-functional collaboration.

Involve team members in decision-making processes.

Respect diverse perspectives; you never know where the next stupendous idea will come from.

5. Be Consistent and Fair

Apply rules and policies consistently to avoid favoritism.

Make decisions based on principles rather than emotion or personal bias.

Recognize and reward contributions fairly and equitably.

6. Empower and Trust Your Team

Delegate responsibilities and give team members autonomy in their work.

Avoid micromanaging—show confidence in their abilities. Hire the right people, give them the tools to do their jobs, train the heck out of them, and then get out of their way.

Provide ample opportunities for professional growth and skill development for everyone.

7. Resolve Conflicts Constructively

Address conflicts early before they escalate.

Encourage open discussions and mediate disagreements with objectivity.

Focus on solutions rather than blame to maintain a positive team dynamic.

8. Create a Safe and Positive Work Environment

Encourage innovation and allow mistakes as opportunities for learning. Do not criticize one of your people in front of the others; doing so will melt away trust faster than an ice cream sandwich melts on a July afternoon in Arizona.

Foster psychological safety where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas.

Promote a culture of respect and accountability for all.

9. Provide Regular Feedback and Recognition

Offer both constructive feedback and positive reinforcement.

Recognize and appreciate team members’ efforts and achievements.

Encourage peer recognition to build mutual trust within the team.

10. Invest in Team Building

Organize team-building activities to strengthen relationships.

Encourage informal interactions to build rapport.

Celebrate milestones and successes together to create a strong team bond.

Greatness develops naturally in organizations with a strong culture of trust. Remove trust from an organization and mediocrity is the best you can hope for. Investing the time and effort to build trust throughout your organization is an investment with a guaranteed return. Will you make an investment in trust today?

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Why Ethics are Such a Big Deal in Business

Steve Keating Leave a comment

I should probably add “some” to the title of this post. As is, “Big Deal in Some Businesses.” Or I could have made the title “Why Ethics are Such a Big Deal to a Sustainable Business.” But I’d like to think that ethics matter to every business, and every business person, even though I know that’s not true.

Even a small group of unethical people can harm a once highly ethical organization. Ethics are fragile. They can slow down what seems to be progress at times. They can even seem to be expensive. That’s why some people simply don’t bother with them.

Some people are experts at justifying ethical lapses. They make a decision “for the business” that benefits them. They convince themselves it was ethical, even though it was not.

It was clearly an unethical decision but the passion with which they defend the decision is incredible to see. I sometimes think they actually believe themselves.

But, sustainable businesses cannot allow an unethical person’s passion, or even their results, to lessen the importance of ethics in their organization. Overlooking unethical behavior gets a business one thing and one thing only, it gets them more unethical behavior.

If you lead an organization, big or small, you must understand that unethical behavior will first weaken, and then destroy, its foundation. That’s not a guess, that’s not a maybe, that’s a fact.

There are a host of reasons why ethics are fundamentally important to a business, here’s the most important ones.

1. Trust and Reputation: Ethical behavior builds trust. It does so among customers, employees, investors, and other stakeholders. A company that is known for its ethical practices is more likely to attract and keep customers and talent. It will also have strong relationships with suppliers and partners. A good reputation is a big advantage. Ethical lapses can lead to scandals. Scandals damage a company’s reputation and erode customer loyalty.

2. Legal Compliance and Risk Management: Following ethics helps ensure obeying laws and rules. This reduces the risk of legal penalties, fines, and lawsuits. Ethical businesses are proactive. They identify and address potential legal issues. This can prevent costly lawsuits and regulatory scrutiny.

3. Employee Satisfaction and Retention: A strong ethical framework contributes to a positive workplace culture. When employees feel they are working for an ethical company, they are more likely to be engaged, motivated, and loyal. Ethical practices attract top talent and reduce turnover. This saves the company money on recruitment and training costs.

4. Customer Loyalty and Satisfaction: Ethical behavior builds customer loyalty. Customers prefer to do business with companies they perceive as honest and responsible. This loyalty leads to repeat business and positive word-of-mouth. These are crucial for long-term success.

5. Sustainability and Long-term Success: Ethical businesses often focus on sustainability, both in terms of environmental impact and long-term strategic planning. By considering the broader impact of their actions, these companies are set up for long-term success. They invest in sustainable practices. These practices may cost more at first, but they yield benefits. These benefits include brand loyalty, operational efficiency, and risk management.

6. Investor Confidence: Investors are increasingly looking at ethical considerations when making investment decisions. Investors see companies with strong ethics as lower-risk. This is because they are less likely to have legal, reputation, or operational problems from unethical practices.

7. Innovation and Creativity: Ethical companies often foster an environment where innovation and creativity can flourish. They encourage transparency and integrity. This creates a culture where employees feel safe to share ideas and take calculated risks. They have no fear of unethical repercussions.

8. Community and Social Impact: Ethical businesses recognize their responsibility to the communities in which they operate. Ethical practices help companies contribute to society. This can enhance their standing and create goodwill in the community and beyond.

Ethics are crucial for building a sustainable and successful business. They maintain trust. They ensure compliance. They foster a positive work environment. They secure customer and investor loyalty. By making ethics a priority, businesses can navigate challenges better. They can also build a strong base for future growth.

Ethics are the responsibility of every member of an organization. That’s an all day everyday responsibility. Once a year “training” in ethics does not absolve anyone of the responsibility to hold each other accountable to the highest of ethical standards.

The reality is every person in an organization must be ethical or the organization itself is not ethical. Think about that and you may be less willing to allow a person’s passion to explain away their lack of ethics.

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How to Build a Strong Organizational Culture

Steve Keating 4 Comments

Peter Drucker, the legendary management consultant once said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” What he meant by that is you can have all the strategy in the world and if the culture in your organization is poor the strategy is unlikely to be implemented.

You can also hire the very best people but if your culture is poor it’s your very best people who are likely to leave first. Nothing plays a bigger role in an organization’s success than culture. Absolutely nothing!

An organization’s culture is the responsibility of the top leader. It is not something that can be delegated to HR or some consulting firm. CEOs of top performing companies invest a massive amount of time ensuring that the organization’s culture is one of two-way trust, with a growth mindset and exceptional lines of communication. It’s a caring culture where people are valued for the mere fact that they are human beings who make a difference in the world.

CEO’s who do not understand their role in defining their organization’s culture are CEO’s who put their organizations at risk. Make no mistake about this fact, every organization has a culture. If it’s not intentionally crafted to be healthy culture, and nurtured DAILY to stay that way, then the culture will develop on it’s own.

A “self-developed” culture is never an organization sustaining culture.

Building a strong organizational culture involves creating an environment where employees feel valued, engaged, and aligned with the company’s mission and values.

Here are the building blocks to a healthy sustainable culture that fosters long-term success.

Define Core Values. Start by defining the core values that reflect what your organization stands for. These values should guide decision-making and behavior at all levels. Ensure that these values are clear, concise, and actionable. Understand that if every member of your organization does not understand and live these core values then they likely aren’t worth the paper you’d print them on.

Lead by Example. Leadership plays a crucial role in shaping organizational culture. Leaders should embody the values they preach. They should show integrity, transparency, and inclusivity in their actions and decisions. Remember, you lead by example whether you realize it or not. Your people are always watching you and if you’re not living the core values of the organization then they won’t either.

Communicate Effectively. Transparent communication is essential for fostering trust and alignment within the organization. Keep employees informed about company goals, strategies, and any changes. Encourage open dialogue and feedback channels. Some “leaders” believe withholding information from their people somehow makes them more important. If you’re a leader who believes keeping your people in the dark is a good thing then you’re a weak leader beyond measure.

Encourage Collaboration. Create a team where employees are comfortable sharing ideas. They should seek feedback and work together towards common goals. Promote cross-functional collaboration to break down silos and encourage innovation. Silos are good on a farm but they are often deadly in an organization looking to grow.

Empower Employees. Empower employees by giving them authority. Also, give them chances for growth. And, recognize their contributions. Encourage autonomy and ownership over tasks and projects. And remember, if you’re standing in their way with your micromanagement hat on, then you really haven’t empowered them. So turn them loose and stay out of their way.

Promote Diversity and Inclusion. Embrace diversity and inclusion. Do this by creating a culture that celebrates differences. It should value the unique perspectives and experiences of all employees. Ensure that policies and practices promote fairness and equality…for everyone. Understand the difference between valuing diversity and going woke. Valuing diversity builds bridges, going woke builds walls.

Celebrate Successes. Recognize and celebrate achievements, both big and small. This reinforces good behavior. It creates a sense of accomplishment and belonging in the organization. There really is not a success that is too small to celebrate.

Invest in Employee Well-being. Prioritize employee well-being by offering programs and resources that support physical, mental, and emotional health. Create a supportive work environment that promotes work-life balance and stress management. Then, encourage your people to use those resources on a regular basis. There is no value to a resource that is never used.

Provide Continuous Feedback. Create a culture of continuous feedback. Employees get regular, helpful feedback on their performance. They also get chances to give input on the organization’s processes and initiatives. And just so we’re clear on this… a once a year “review” is NOT continuous anything, except perhaps a continuous waste of time.

Adapt and Evolve. Culture is not static; it evolves over time. Stay attuned to changes in the internal and external environment and be willing to adapt cultural norms and practices as needed. This will ensure relevance and alignment with the organization’s goals and values.

Building a strong organizational culture is not a part time job. By focusing daily on these key elements and consistently reinforcing them through actions and initiatives, CEO’s and their organizations can build a strong and vibrant culture. One that drives employee engagement, retention, and overall success.

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How to Rebuild Trust

Steve Keating Leave a comment

If you’re human and you’re reading this (if you’re not human and you’re reading this, please by any means possible let me know) then sooner or later you will do something that will cause someone to lose trust in you.

As has been said many times, trust takes a long time to build and only seconds to destroy.

But the destruction does not have to be permanent. If you’re willing to make the effort then over time you can rebuild the trust you once had. It’s not easy and it will take time but it can be done. Do not expect the other person, the one who’s trust you lost, to rebuild it. If you’re the trust breaker then you’re 100% responsible for rebuilding it too.

Rebuilding trust is a process. Here are some steps you can take to begin that process today.

Acknowledge the breach. Recognize and take responsibility for the actions or behaviors that led to the loss of trust. This demonstrates honesty and accountability. There can be no “but” in your acknowledgment. No “sorry but.” No, sorry if you’re offended “but” I didn’t mean it. By the way, if you really said something you didn’t mean that’s actually an indication that you’re so careless with your words or actions that you probably shouldn’t have been trusted in the first place. Think about that little tidbit a while.

Apologize sincerely. Offer a genuine apology, expressing remorse for any hurt or harm caused. Be specific about what you’re apologizing for and show empathy towards the other person’s feelings. And this should go without saying, but in case it needs to be said… if it’s not a sincere apology then don’t bother in the first place.

Communicate openly. Encourage open dialogue about the situation. Listen attentively to the other person’s concerns and feelings without becoming defensive. Be transparent about your intentions and actions moving forward. This is another step where there can be no “buts.” You offended someone, you may have even hurt them. When they tell you why they feel the way they feel don’t you dare respond with a “yes but.” That is a clear indication that you likely do not value their feelings.

Set boundaries. Establish clear boundaries and expectations to prevent similar issues from arising in the future. This could include agreeing on specific behaviors or actions that are off-limits. Once the boundaries are set do not cross them… no matter what.

Demonstrate consistency. Consistently follow through on your commitments and promises. Your actions should align with your words to build credibility and reliability. Rebuilding trust is not a part time process. You must honor 100% of your commitments, 100% of the time. Whether you feel like it or not.

Be patient. Rebuilding trust takes time, so be patient and understanding. Allow the other person space to process their feelings and gradually rebuild their trust in you. Remember, it’s wrecking trust that happens fast, rebuilding it will take longer than it took to build it in the first place.

Seek feedback. Regularly check in with the other person to see how they’re feeling about the progress of rebuilding trust. Be open to feedback and willing to make adjustments as needed. You may need to ask a few times to get an answer but the mere asking of the question can help rebuild trust.

Show genuine remorse. Continuously express genuine remorse for the hurt caused and demonstrate your commitment to making amends. Actions often speak louder than words, so be consistent in your efforts to rebuild trust.

Obviously it’s way better not to do or say things that cause someone to lose trust in you to begin with. But we’re human and sometimes we do things we wish we hadn’t. But whether you’re able to rebuild trust with someone or not, simply going through the process will make it less likely that you’ll make the same mistake again.

That’s called improvement and I call that a very good thing.

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How To Know if Someone Trusts You

Steve Keating Leave a comment

Have you ever had the feeling that someone didn’t trust you? Since you’ve never done anything to cause them not to trust you it can be baffling as to why they wouldn’t. But many people don’t trust automatically. They wait to see if someone is trustworthy.

So instead of asking yourself what you might have done to lose a person’s trust a better question might be, what have you done to earn it. What actions have you specifically, intentionally taken to prove your trustworthiness to the people around you? That’s an important question in business but even more important in life.

Determining if someone trusts you can be a nuanced process, as trust is a complex and subjective aspect of human relationships. It’s important to remember that trust is not always explicitly expressed. It may manifest differently in different individuals and contexts. However, there are several common indicators that can help you gauge if someone trusts you.

  • Trust is often built on open, honest, and transparent communication. If someone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings with you,  without fear of judgment, it’s a positive sign that they trust you.
  • When someone trusts you, they believe you will follow through on your commitments and promises. If they consistently rely on you for support, assistance, or collaboration, it suggests a level of trust in your abilities and character.
  • Trust often involves a degree of emotional vulnerability. If someone is willing to be vulnerable around you, share their insecurities, and show their true selves, it’s a strong indicator of trust.
  • Trust is also built on consistency. If your actions and behavior are consistent over time, people are more likely to trust you. Inconsistencies or unpredictability can erode trust.
  • If someone shares sensitive information with you and you respect their confidentiality by not disclosing it to others, they are more likely to trust you with future confidences.
  • When people trust your judgment, they may seek your advice or opinion on important matters. They value your input and believe that you have their best interests at heart.
  • Trust often involves emotional support. If someone turns to you for support during difficult times and you offer empathy, it indicates they trust you to provide comfort and help.
  • Pay attention to nonverbal cues such as body language and tone of voice. Someone who trusts you is likely to exhibit relaxed and open body language. They maintain eye contact, and have a warm and friendly tone when communicating.
  • When trust is present, both parties can provide constructive feedback without fearing a negative reaction. If someone is comfortable giving you feedback or is receptive to your feedback, it suggests a level of trust in the relationship.
  • Engaging in shared experiences, both positive and challenging, can deepen trust. These experiences create bonds and demonstrate that you can navigate difficult situations together.

It’s important to note that trust is not always binary; it can exist on a spectrum. Additionally, trust can be fragile and may take time to develop but can be easily damaged or lost. Building and maintaining trust in relationships require ongoing effort, consistency, and respect for each other. 

If you’re unsure about someone’s level of trust in you don’t sit and wonder. Consider having an open and honest conversation to clarify and strengthen the relationship. That demonstrates an even greater level of trust.

Want more of LeadToday? I’ve changed things up on my Twitter feed for subscribers. I recently began publishing two or three videos each week focusing on an element of Authentic Leadership. I’ll post these videos each Tuesday and Thursday morning. Sometimes a bonus video pops up at other times during the week. They will be about 10 minutes long so we can get into the topic in a more meaningful way. The investment for subscribers in still only $4.99 a month. That’s for at least 80 MINUTES of quality video content on leadership a month.

If you’re interested in taking a look, head on over to my Twitter profile page. If you’re not a follower yet just hit the follow button. It will change to a subscribe button and once you hit that you’re on your way. You can cancel at any time you’ve decided you have nothing left to learn about leading the people who you count on for your success.

Here’s the link to my Twitter… https://twitter.com/leadtoday

How Trust is Really Built

Steve Keating 1 Comment

I’m not sure why but I’ve seen a ton of blog posts and various articles lately about building trust. Most of them are about particular words you either should or shouldn’t use if you want to build trust. 

Some of them talk about tone of voice or making eye contact when you want someone to know you’re being particularly truthful. I love that word combo “particularly truthful.”

Imagine someone writing about building trust and in the article seeming to indicate that sometimes you’re more truthful than others. When you want to convince someone you can be trusted then you should be “particularly truthful.” They don’t explain what you should be the rest of the time so I’m left to wonder about it. 

What surprises me about every single article and post I’ve read the last few weeks on building trust, and there have been many of them, is that not a single one of them talked about being trustworthy. The talk about using “trustable” words and phrases. A few even talked about behaving in a certain way to convince people you can be trusted. 

But not one said to build trust by actually being trustworthy. 

To me being trustworthy is saying exactly what you mean and doing exactly what you say. All the time. It’s about honoring your commitments, every commitment. All the time. 

When your words match your actions, even if not everyone agrees with them, you will be trusted. 

If you’re forced to use certain words for people to trust you then I’d have to say it’s possible you’re not trustworthy. If you have to behave in any other way than being your normal self then it’s very possible that people shouldn’t really trust you. 

If you want to be trusted then don’t say yes when you know your actions are going to show you meant no. Don’t commit to doing something today when you know darn well it’s unlikely you’re going to be able to do it today. 

Trust isn’t built on what we say, it’s built on what we do. There’s no need to read a bunch of articles on how to be trusted. All you need to do is be trustworthy. 

One other thing, if you’re wondering how you can tell if someone else can be trusted there is only one sure way to know. Trust them, they will quickly show you if your trust is deserved or not. 

On a another subject…I’m trying something new over on Twitter. It’s called “Super Followers.” For $5 a month, that’s 17 cents a day, people can follow a part of my Twitter stream that is for subscribers only. It features short videos of me discussing leadership topics, sales tips and ideas for better overall relationships. I’m assuming there will be far fewer Super Followers than regular Twitter followers. That will give me the opportunity to answer questions more throughly than I can on regular Twitter. Most of the answers will come in the evening cause we all have day jobs, right? Think of it as ”mentoring on demand!”

My goal with SuperFollowers is to build a better connection, one where I can perhaps help more and have a greater impact. I’m hoping it gives me a chance to mentor to a wider audience. It’s still new, we’ll see how it works. It’s a $5 dollar investment that may just be the extra “push” you need to get to where you want to be. I’d be honored to be able to help get you there. 

You can find more information by clicking the Super Follow button on my Twitter profile page IN THE TWITTER APP. http://twitter.com/leadtoday Give it a try if you’re so inclined, and if you are, be sure to let me know how I’m doing and how I can be of even more help.