Five Steps to Building Trust
Building positive and strong relationships with people on the projects you support and work on is critical. The most important part of building a relationship is to have trust between both parties in a relationship. Trust is built over time. Below there is a list of five steps to help you build positive relationships with your co-workers and clients on the projects you work on.
Trust is earned from another by displaying that you are trustworthy. Individuals need to see over time that you are a person of integrity. You do this by demonstrating to them you are trustworthy. It is done by following through on your promises, meeting deadlines and being honest with them. It does not work to ask for their trust or to say, “trust me on this, I know the answer” if you have no history. Instead you must demonstrate you are trustworthy by the actions you take. This will help you to build the strong working relationships you want to build.
Trust can be created by showing your client (project team) that you are knowledgeable in the area of expertise they are wanting your help with. It is beneficial to share information and knowledge you have with them without having an expectation of what you want in return. Instead of telling them what they should do, offer them options. Tell them the positives and negatives of each option and let them decide how to move forward.
Show a genuine interest in your client. People can tell when you are genuinely interested in them. We can show genuine interest by really listening to others. This means actively listening. To listen actively, one must focus intently on the person they are listening to. Use eye contact with the individual. Ask them questions throughout the conversation to make sure you fully understand what they are saying. Avoid forming opinions while the person is talking. Just listen. Another method of showing genuine interest, is learning about “who the person is.” What do they enjoy doing when they are not at work? Do they coach “Little League?” Are they a history buff? Do they travel every spare moment? This information can make a relationship enjoyable. It connects you on a level other than just the work. Perhaps you have something in common in addition to the project you are working on. The more you can find that you have in common with others, the more you will likely enjoy them and genuinely want to be around them.
By always being honest about your knowledge and capabilities, you will maintain integrity with others. If you do not have knowledge in an area needed for a project, but have transferable skills, be honest. Let it be known that although you do not have the exact experience, the work should still be pretty easy for you to do. It is highly likely you will still get to do the work and you will maintain your credibility with the individuals you are working with on the project.
Follow through on any and all promises you make. If you say you will do something, follow through and do it. If you say you will finish something by a certain date, you need to finish it by that date. By doing so, people will say to themselves, she/he gets things done on time. If you are concerned about how quickly you can get something done, pad the date. If you deliver it early, the receiver will be ecstatic. If you don’t know the answer to a question your client has, tell them you do not know. Tell them you will find the answer. The individual would much rather hear the correct answer than a made up one. Everyone respects honesty.
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