Bedrock Principle

In his book, On Becoming a Leader, Warren Bennis says, “Integrity is the basis of trust, which is not so much an ingredient of leadership as it is a product. It is the one quality that cannot be acquired, but must be earned. It is given by co-workers and followers, and without it, the leader can’t function.”

That can be said not only of leaders and followers, but also of all relationships. Developing trust is like constructing a building. It takes time, and it must be done one piece at a time. As in construction, it’s much quicker and easier to tear something down than it is to build it up. But if the foundation is strong, there is a good chance that what is built upon it will stand. If you desire to build your trustworthiness — and as a result, your relationships — remember:

Trust begins with yourself. If you are not honest with yourself, you will not be capable of honesty with others. Self-deception is the enemy of relationships.

Trust cannot be compartmentalized. Many people today try to compartmentalize their lives. They believe that they can cut corners or compromise their values in one area of life and it won’t affect another area. But character doesn’t work that way. And neither does trust.

Trust works like a bank account. Mike Abrashoff, author of It’s Your Ship, states, “Trust is like a bankaccount — you have got to keep making deposits if you want it to grow. On occasion, things will go wrong, and you will have to make a withdrawal. Meanwhile, it is sitting in the bank earning interest.”

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