Quotes

Here's a couple of interesting quotes I've run across recently:

"Trust is a peculiar resource; it is built rather than depleted by use." -- Unknown

This makes me think of working out. Just like building muscle, we build trust as we exercise it. Doing it more creates more - it's a generative action. We've seen this as we've worked to intentionally focus on the trust behaviors and put them into action. But, just like working out, even though we know this, we still don't always act upon it. Why? Sometimes, it's the effort; we are just lazy or not in the mood. We need to make space, time, and focus for these things so that we can continue to grow them in ourselves because that's the only way to effect deep change.

The next two are quotes from the book, Ragamuffin Gospel. It's a book by a former Franciscan priest searching for the essence of Christianity. While it specifically is referring to relationship trust, I think the quotes are worth noting:

"When the craving for reassurances is stifled, trust happens."
This is a definition of trust. If we truly trust, we don't need the reassurance. For me, this is the litmus test. Needing confirmation, following up, worrying about it all mean that I'm not truly trusting. There can be many reasons for the lack - sometimes it's intentional, or smart trust. Other times, it's because I'm not extending trust in the way that I hope and the realization keeps me from killing any deposits my extending trust would have made (asking someone when you've told them you trust them seems to negate the deposit).

"Trust at the mercy of the response it receives is a bogus trust."
The counterfeit of Extend Trust is "trusting them" when you actually don't. This also falls into the bucket above of coming off disingenuous. It could even go to the point of making a withdrawal when your intent was to make a deposit.

Trust is a critical component of being an effective leader. We must know how to wield it effectively as well as how to build it in ourselves and others.