On a somewhat similar theme to my previous post (Was It Good for You?) — Charles H. Green (the guru of trust and co-author of the The Trusted Advisor) published this article on RainToday.com, You Had Me at Hello: 9 Ways to Quickly Gain Trust During the Sales Process, that provides some shortcuts to trust. While Green admits that trust takes time, he also offers some advice for using the sales process itself to establish trust from the get go in 3 of the 4 important foundations that add up to long-term trust.
He offers this formula for creating trust:
- “Trustworthiness = (Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy) / Self-Orientation”
For three of these variables, says Green, you can start creating trust from the first meeting. Only reliability is totally reliant on time. While time enhances all variables, Green offers specific advice on how to get off to a good start in creating credibility, initmacy and self-orientation. Highly recommended reading! Check it out here.
In addition to reading the original article, also be sure to check out Green’s comment to this post.
HI Amy,
Thanks for picking up on that article and giving the nice precis of it.
I’d add that the phrase “trust takes time” is not only misleading, but also serves as an excuse for many people to avoid having direct conversations about important issues.
“We couldn’t discuss that just yet, we’re not at that level in the relationship,” is how it sounds, but the unspoken thought bubble is, “maybe if I wait long enough the overrun will reverse itself, my client will change their mind, and pigs will fly. If I just avoid it.”
The great truth is that trust doesn’t exist without risk. And he who takes the first risk–usually a simple, personal emotional risk–ends up benefiting enormously in reduced long-term risk about big and serious issues.
Trust doesn’t take time nearly so much as it takes the simple personal courage to do things like speak the truth, acknowledge our own weaknesses, and focus our attention on the other party instead of just on our own selves.
Charlie,
Thanks for the extra edification. I really enjoyed the article. Simple and easy to put into practice.
~Amy