How do you gain other people’s trust? It starts with your relationship with them. They need to know that you have their best interests at heart. They need to know that they can rely on you to do the right thing, to give them advice when they need it most, or to lend a helping hand when they feel down and out. You need to show your commitment to them – not just when things are going well, but when things are bad as well (showing consistency).
When you offer help, you need to do it sincerely. If you are disingenuous when you offer help, or if you say one thing then talk about them behind their back, you will lose their trust.
If someone is hiring you (whether as an employee or if you’re a contractor for a customer), they want to know that you know what you’re doing (competency), you have a network of individuals to help get the job done right, and you have core values that align with their own.
Lastly, in addition to the qualities listed above, you have to show that you trust them. Trust is a two-way street. If you’re doing everything you can to earn their trust, but you’re not showing them the same respect by distrusting them, they will sense that something is missing.
How can anyone trust you if you don’t trust them first? If you’re not open and honest with others, can you really expect the same from them? Open up to them. Show them that you’re a real person. Be ok with being vulnerable, but don’t overdo it. Most people like feeling helpful. If you show a little vulnerability, they will see that you’re human just like them and will be inclined to help you. But if you come off as a know-it-all robot with no feelings, emotions, or weaknesses, they will treat you like the robot persona that you are showcasing to the world. Likewise, if you’re too vulnerable, you can come off as weak and incompetent. Just like anything in life, showing vulnerability requires balance. Too much and you’ll lose respect from others, but too little and you run the risk of losing connection with them.
A final note on trusting others…not only will you go further by trusting others and others trusting you, but your quality of life will be better. If you never trust anyone, or are paranoid that they’re out to get you, you will end up living a very lonely life. Let others in! Good experiences will be better with others and bad experiences will show you that you’re not alone. Work on building trust with everyone you meet and you’ll see that life is good.