#174: Restoring trust

Here’s a riddle for you. What takes a long time to build, but can be destroyed in the blink of an eye? Many things, you say, but did you remembered that trust is one of those things?

Building trust takes time, destroying it does not. That’s why it’s important to know how to restore broken trust.

Try these three steps:

(1) View the break down as lack of competency and not a lack of honesty. Research shows that people forgive a break down in trust more readily if it is perceived as incompetence rather than dishonesty.

(2) Apologize. Even if you are not guilty, apologize for whatever you might have done, might not have done, or might have done differently. Don’t see an apology as weakness - know instead that sincere apologies are powerful trust builders.

(3) Now start talking. Honest communication is not a cliche - it is critical.

Enough said.


I’m james@nonsenseatwork.com

Copyright: 2008 James Henry McIntosh

James can be heard on Public Radio, 88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA.
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