Ever worked with someone that promised you the moon but only delivered empty promises? It’s very frustrating and disappointing to say the least. The implications run deep. Broken promises create mistrust. Trust is an essential ingredient in every relationship whether it’s with a customer, spouse, child, friend, co-worker, boss, peer, colleague, etc. Without it, you have nothing; it forms the foundation of every relationship.

Webster defines trust as a firm belief or confidence in the honesty, integrity, reliability, justice, etc. of another person or thing; faith; reliance. It’s very important to do what you say you are going to do. Every time you commit or promise to do something you don’t deliver, you are chipping away at trust. Telling the truth with the intent to mislead is no better. No matter how insignificant it may seem mistruths erode the level of trust others have in you. It’s the little things that add up over time to big things. Actions speak louder than words. If people do not see you living the values you espouse, you will lose their trust and your credibility.

Trust is a societal value that every organization should expect of its employees. It’s what we refer to as a “permission to play” value. Over the past 15 years, there are countless examples of companies that have fallen because they lost site of the importance of trust. Look at the ripple effect that subprime loans have had on society. Sadly, we seem to continue down this path. Trust appears to have been replaced by integrity; integrity seems to have been redefined as ethical behavior. Companies and governments continue to institute rules and regulations to try and control behavior. Our society has lost site of the fact that values must be internal to our being. We must hold them as self truths and believe in them before we can live them. We have to get back to the basics and expect people to be trustworthy. Leaders have to set the example.

Recently, I heard a story about a CEO who runs marathons; he boasted to his staff that when he gets to a water table and has his cup of water, he deliberately knocks over the remaining cups on the table so his competitors can’t have water! Does this person inspire trust? Does he have compassion for others? Would you want to follow a person who had so little regard for the health of others? Can he be trusted to do the right thing for the company; shareholders; employees? Winning at any cost isn’t the point!

Ever heard a leader make the statement, “that’s my opinion and it ought to be yours too”! People joke about this statement all of the time, but I actually know people who honestly believe it to be true. They ask others for input and pretend to be interested in what they have to say, but inevitably disregard the input they receive and do what they want to anyway. This does not create an environment of trust. It does not encourage people to want to share and be open and honest in their communication. If anything, it shuts communications down completely and causes people to disengage.

Do what you say you are going to do. Be true to yourself. Keep commitments, no matter how small. Take action when you say you will. Do what you promise to do. Acknowledge when you fall short and do what it takes to make it right. Truth begins with the individual.