Are There Smart Ways to Gain Trust? Trust is the key to any healthy Relationship. Whether it is a personal or business interaction, trust allows for open communication and mutual respect. It sets the participants up for a win-win and a higher likelihood that pleasant, peaceful, and productive dialogue can take place. Enjoyment also increases when there is trust. Yet, each of us encounter people who, either immediately or over time, erode trust by their actions, inability to follow-through, or by downright lying. The result is avoidance, suspicion, and distrust of anything the person may say going forward, even if it is the truth. Credibility is at stake, along with the quality of our relationships. When people trust us, we have credibility. People believe in us and we are willing to consider what the trustworthy person says. We come across as responsible, caring, and stable. When they do not trust, there is little we can do to regain it once it is broken. Lying, cheating, acting for one’s own benefit, and not considering others, all lead to unhealthy and distrustful relationships. Given that we demonstrate trustworthy behavior at the outset, trust is then built and maintained over the course of the relationship. Even if we gain trust right away, ongoing honorable behaviors and interactions are essential to continue having trust in one another. So, what inspires trust? Consider the three Cs….   Congruency, where what the person or entity (like a company) says and does must be in alignment. Facial expressions are appropriate for the words, such as apologizing and having a facial expression of regret rather than apologizing with a tone and expression of anger and resentment. We could say something like “It doesn’t matter.” And depending on the tone, then the perception is going to change. If you...

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