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Positive Principles Newsletter
March 2006
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"Trust is like a vase...once it's broken,
though you can fix it, the vase will never be the same again."
- Anonymous
"The formation of one's character ought to be everyone's chief aim."
- Johann Wolfgang
von Goethe
German
playwright, poet, novelist and dramatist. 1749-1832
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This month's tip – Be consistent in word and
deed.
In a past edition,
I wrote on the issue of trust as it relates to organizational performance.
Recently, I had a seminar participant ask about the issue of trust - how
do you build it and how do you maintain it? As I reflected on his
question, I came to this conclusion: you build and maintain trust with
consistency.
The American Heritage Dictionary defines trust
as the "firm reliance on the integrity, ability, or character of a person
or thing." Notice the key words in that definition - integrity,
ability, and character.
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Integrity comes from a Latin word that means whole, complete, and
virtuous. |
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Ability refers to "physical, mental, financial, or legal power to
perform." |
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As
used in this context, character means "moral or ethical strength." |
Take a moment to consider that collection of words - whole, complete,
virtuous, power to perform, moral or ethical strength. Taken
together and applying them to the leadership relationship, one word sums
up the package - consistency.
Trust is matter of expectations. If I
have an expectation that an event will happen - I trust that it will
happen. If I have an expectation that a person will keep his word
- I trust that person. Trust and expectation - expectation and
trust. The two concepts are inseparable, and consistency forms the
bridge between them.
Expectation about the future comes from past
experiences and observations. When deciding whether they trust a
person or not, people will ask themselves questions like:
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Have I seen this person "talk behind the back" of my colleagues?
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Have I seen this person live up to their commitments? |
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Have I seen this person expect from me or someone else what they are not
willing to do or to give themselves? |
Each of these questions, and others like them, point towards
consistency. Ultimately the answers point to trust - and trust is the foundation of effective leadership.
So for now, I encourage you to remember this month's tip . . .
Be consistent in word and deed.
Have a great day,
Guy Harris
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