Trust tips

For it is mutual trust, even more than mutual interest, that holds human associations together.

H L Mencken

We are inclined to trust people…

Who are self-aware
Who take responsibility for their role in the relationship
Who demonstrate that they consider the best interests of others, rather than just themselves
Who do what they say they will do
Who practise the values they tell us are important to them
Who are willing to recognise and consider both sides of the story
Who listen and respond to our needs and interests
Who are willing to think about what they have to give as well as what they hope to receive.

We are not inclined to trust people…

Who we experience as selfish and self-absorbed
Who do not demonstrate an interest in the needs of others
Who are not willing to accept responsibility for their actions
Who gossip/talk about others behind their back
Who blame others without looking at their role in the experience
Who make snap judgments and draw conclusions before hearing all the information
Who are not open and receptive to the ideas and views of others; people who consistently feel that they know all the answers and their way is the only way and the right way
Who change the rules all the time
Who are inconsistent in their behaviour so we don’t know what to expect from one interaction to the next
Who distort the truth by omitting information for their own purposes