Trust is the most important component to building relationships in our lives. Since professionals rely on the quality of relationships for success in their business (practice), developing and maintaining trust must be our goal. How successful we are in achieving this determines all other outcomes.
As we have discussed in previous articles, trust is a four-pillar concept. These are:
character
communication
competency
and last but not least consistency.
Actions speak louder than words – our behavior clearly communicates to those around us our intention, commitment to the verbal messages we send and how consistent we are to the values we espouse. These actions either support the opinions others have about our character, competency and consistency. We teach others who we are and how to treat us by setting examples for them.
We judge and are judged every minute of every day. When our behavior is inconsistent with past behavior or is perceived to be so by those who interact with us, our trustworthiness diminishes and the quality of our relationships decreases exponentially. We must be true in demonstrating our commitment to our core values, vision, philosophies and standards.
Decisions are abstract until there is a corresponding action. To find out more about what effects our decision-making and how we are affected by the choices we make, visit http://www.empoweredbynba.com/ for the full length feature article and other practice management resources. This article is featured in TeamWork Magazine Vol 3 No. 1 – January February 2010. Further study options and interactive learning opportunities are also offered through our www.practiceempowerment.com or email us to find out more information about EMPOWERMENT™: info@empoweredbyNBA.com
