7 ways to build greater trust in all of your partnerships

Trust is the cornerstone of any successful partnership. Discover seven effective strategies to foster deeper trust in your relationships, whether they're professional, personal, or somewhere in between. Let's delve into the art of building unshakeable trust.

Share This Idea Meredith Schomburg

In her new book Partnering, Jean Oelwang explores how we find and cultivate just those kinds of bonds, which she calls “Deep Connections.”

• Deep Connections are relationships of purpose that make us who we are. They are the enduring ‘got your back’ friendships found in all aspects of our lives. These relationships help us become our best selves and multiply the impact we make in the world.
• Trust is by far the most critical element of the ecosystem of a partnership.
• In all circumstances, we should try to design our partnerships – whether professional or personal – to default to trust.

Assume Good Intentions

Trust grows when you are confident the other person has your back

Watch your body language

Rolling your eyes or turning your back when someone is talking to you can be all it takes to undermine trust

Be transparent and clear

It’s easier to be honest and open when you design for transparency

• A clear operating framework, including clear roles and responsibilities, is fundamental in enabling trust to flourish
• Buffer takes this to extremes, making all their compensation packages and diversity data available online and open-source code available to anyone.

Trust yourself

Ask yourself these questions to better understand how to become a more trusting partner:

• Do you trust your intentions and your abilities
• What do you need from your partner to help grow self-trust
• Are you all-in and coming from a place of trust rather than fear
• Is there a clear something bigger driving your life and your partnerships?

Make hard conversations the norm

Don’t be afraid to talk about the tough stuff

• Communicate openly, always, so that people are free to express themselves
• The worst thing you can do is disengage, ignoring stressors on yourself and others until the tremors grow into an earthquake that could destroy the relationship

Allow mistakes to build trust

Acknowledging and taking responsibility for mistakes can go a long way toward building trust.

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