The first wave of trust depends on our self–confidence. Can people trust you? How credible are you?

To build our credibility, we need to understand four cores related to character and competence:

1. Intent
2. Capabilities
3. Integrity
4. Results

Research has shown that most people do not keep the commitments and promises they make to themselves.

A 2005 Harris poll found that only 8% of Americans stick to their New Year resolutions even though 50% make those resolutions. After repeated failure to create and keep promises to ourselves, it starts to degrade our self–confidence.

To use the metaphor of tree to better understand the four cores of credibility:

1. Integrity is the root below the surface that allows everything to grow.
2. Intent is the trunk that grows out in the open.
3. Capabilities are the branches that allow us to produce.
4. Results are the fruits, which are measurable, tangible and visible outcomes that people can see and evaluate.

It's about learning ways to increase trust and how to avoid destroying it.

Behavior 1: Talk straight

Warren Buffet writes a management letter for his company’s annual report with no fluff. He doesn’t mind adding the mistakes he made during the year.

Behavior 2: Show respect

Treat everyone with respect.

Behavior 3: Be transparent

In the present global economy, transparency is becoming popular as the critical value in organizations.

Behavior 4: Right wrongs

When you're wrong, don't hesitate to make things right ASAP.

Behavior 5: Show loyalty

When you are loyal, people will see you as trustworthy.

Once you start to extend trust to people, you are empowering them to trust you too. Then, you will be able to create a high–trust culture that makes everyone do their best all the time.

In the corporate world, the biggest “aha” moments often happen when people realize that there is low trust in their organization because the principles were violated by both individuals and the organization.

• You can be an amazing leader that people trust because you have great relationship trust and self–trust levels.
• You might fail at organizational trust because you aren’t making and aligning structures and systems that will build trust.

When you see some companies, how do you feel about them? Perhaps, you have heard great things about their products, services, or leadership. So, you are likely to buy from them or recommend them to your family and friends.

Market trust is all about reputation or brand.

It’s about how you feel about buying from a business or spending your time there. It also affects how you will recommend them to others.

In late April 1992, the trial of Rodney King led to riots and city blocks were set on fire and looted in LA. Businesses lost billions. However, not a single McDonald’s restaurant in the area was touched.

The local residents knew McDonald’s cared about the community and they didn’t want to destroy something that took care of them. The sense of social responsibility by McDonald’s created societal trust that had clear measurable and observable results.

Contribution is the main principle of societal trust.

Trust affects everything we do in life.

It impacts our work, relationships, communication, etc.

• When you trust someone, you have confidence in them, in their integrity, and in their abilities.
• When you distrust people, you find everything they do suspicious.

One reason why trust is so beneficial to us is that it facilitates good communication.

Relationships are built and sustained by trust, and they can also be broken by lack of trust just by a single violation.