Power Of Trust: 5 Personal Secrets For Building Trust In Relationships

Initially it seemed that identifying a need that connects to my passion was enough. Yet, I am drawn, once again, to grubbing, that is to clear by digging up the roots of my desire to mitigate frustration between business owners and Gen Y employees.

Personal integrity builds trust in relationships, a "must have" for starting a business today.

When I think about my life purpose of preparing young people for successful work experiences, I find myself continually going back to verify my "why". Initially it seemed that identifying a need that connects to my passion was enough. Yet, I am drawn, once again, to grubbing, that is to clear by digging up the roots of my desire to mitigate frustration between business owners and Gen Y employees. I am often reminded by my mentors that integrity with my life purpose is essential for having trust in stake-holder relationships, a necessity for longevity of any enterprise today. To make that happen, "what I believe" is one of the first subjects to test. My marketing firm knows that, too.

As I sat with the Ryan, Sawyer, Whitney team a few weeks ago they asked, "What do you believe?" I got stuck, which surprised me because this topic is one I ordinarily have committed to memory and share with ease. Starting my business has me at the center of a hurricane of uncertainty; it is calm as I prepare for it and yet, I know there are strong winds and wild surf to ride just outside the fringes. In this uncertainty I find it more difficult to know what I believe because I am committed to being open and so, it changes.

These are my 5 personal trust-building secrets for integrity in relationships (what I believe so far):

Secret #1. It is okay for me to be who I am. If you are a Boomer like me, you may remember a best seller "I'm Okay, You're Okay". It is a central message something like that buried like a prize in the concept of what I teach, generational differences.

Secret #2. It's okay with me for you to be who you are. We are in part what society shaped in us and hopefully, we can validate that in ourselves and in others.

Secret #3. There is grace or karma, in every turn throughout our lives. Grace to me is "opportunity to try again". In the context of the faith I was raised in, it is forgiveness - something I am told we all desire. Well, it's there and new every day. Karma asks, "How do I make my experience useful to others?" It is the opportunity to create from each person's experience, a unique, life-transforming message for humanity.

Secret #4. Everything happens for a reason. This comes with a caveat that our willingness to serve others is firmly in place.

Secret #5. Give what you want in your life and you will have it. Again, the caveat above applies. I stopped counting the ways this is true in my life today. The development of my sons into fine men is the strongest example for me; they make me a fine person by who they have become.


And, I am taken-aback by the level of personal integrity in the Y Generation professionals I know for building trust in relationships.


Bottom Line, personal integrity builds trust and is important for any enterprise today.