Do you consider yourself trustworthy? Chances are you answered yes, just like the vast majority of people do when I pose that question in training sessions on how to build trust.

If we are all so trustworthy, how do we explain that 82% of people don’t trust their boss to tell the truth? Or that research has shown that people are more likely to trust a stranger than their boss? Obviously, we aren’t as trusted as we may think.

Unfortunately, most people don’t think about trust until it has been broken, and by that time it may be too late to do anything about it. Instead of waiting until you find yourself experiencing a crisis of trust, why not be intentional about building trust in your relationships?

They key is to understand that trust is comprised of four key elements. Using behaviors that align with the four elements of trust will cause others to perceive you as being trustworthy and result in the development of trust in the relationship.

Download the free e-Book, Do Your Managers Build or Erode Trust?, to learn more about the four elements of trust, their associated behaviors, and the business results high-trust organizations achieve. Feel free to leave a comment to share your thoughts.