How Do I Build Trust?

Guest post by: Adam Sonnhalter
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How Do I Find Time To Plan? - By Adam Sonnhalter

A great clarifying question to figure out if you Trust someone or if they Trust you is to ask, "Am I comfortable introducing this person to someone else and are they comfortable introducing me?" At the end of the day, that's what it all boils down to. And the answer to that question will be different depending on the person. For instance, I'd be comfortable introducing my partner Jack to anyone I Know, Like, and Trust ("KLT").

On the other hand, there are folks in my Rotary Club who I would only be comfortable introducing to certain people. It's not that I don't Trust them. It's just that the level of Trust I have with them is different from what I have with Jack.

So why is that and how do I maintain and/or increase the level of Trust I have with people?

Two of the best ways we have found to build and maintain Trust are:

Spend Time, and

Help

Since Jack and I spend a lot of time together and we help each other on a daily basis, we have a very high level of Trust. Certain folks in my Rotary Club I will see only once in a while and we haven't done anything to help each other, so our resulting level of Trust is pretty low.

So what does it mean to Spend Time with somebody or to Help them? Let me give you a few simple examples.

Spending Time with someone can simply mean sharing a meal or a cup of coffee. It could mean sharing a hobby or extracurricular activity that you each enjoy (e.g. hunting, snowboarding, visiting a museum, golfing, etc.). Or it could be getting involved in the leadership or on the board of a service organization or a local non-profit that you both enjoy.

Chances are the reason you Know and Like someone is because you have a common interest or bond. So Spend Time with them on a regular basis doing one of those activities. At the very least you both have to eat right?!

Help can be as simple as listening to someone when they need someone to talk to about things. It could also mean introducing your KLT folks to each other. Why? Because chances are your KLT folks can help each other. But they have to Know each other first. Help also means saying "yes" when one of your KLT folks asks for your help. And doing it with a smile!

So what are you doing to build and maintain Trust on a daily, weekly, monthly, annual basis? If you're not focused on this, you should be. It's the #1 driver of success in your business.

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How Do I Find Time To Plan? - By Adam Sonnhalter

About the Author: Adam Sonnhalter

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Adam Sonnhalter is a Partner of Maximum Value Partners, a business coaching firm based in Northeast Ohio that works with companies across the U.S. with anywhere from 1-25 employees. Adam has been involved in professional services his entire career including nearly a decade on Wall Street as an Investment Banker helping people buy and sell companies as well as raise money for their companies. Adam grew up with an entrepreneur at the dinner table and has been advising business owners for well over a decade. Adam's partner in MVP is Jack Mencini. Jack has personally owned and operated several companies, 5 of which he bought and subsequently sold, the others were started from scratch, including MVP and one that made the Weatherhead 100 list of fastest growing companies in Northeast Ohio. All of this came after 17 years working for a couple of large public companies in Northeast Ohio that exposed him to business throughout the world. We currently work with companies throughout the U.S. either in person or virtually. More information is available about Adam and Jack and their business coaching at the MVP web site www.maximumvp.com and their blog www.AskTheBizCoaches.com .
Click here to visit Adam's website.

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