Building Trust

As I completed my series on Soft Skills, a commenter asked me about the place of Trust, since I had not listed it as a specific Soft Skill. I’m not sure about this. The question of Trust seems to be relevant or applicable in a number of different areas, and so as I did with Professionalism, I ask the question: “Is Trust a soft skill on its own, or an underlining feature or component of all the soft skills I have discussed in the series?”

If people don’t trust you, they are less likely to work with you, invest in you, or pursue shared goals. Evidence suggest that if you take the time to build trust with your colleagues or team members, everyone will thrive. Many of the soft skills I covered in my series help to build trust — effective communication, openness and honesty, a positive attitude and a strong work ethic. Demonstrating that you are trustworthy helps not only to build personal relationships, but also to create “buy in” for your initiatives and projects. The literature suggests that people who are deemed trustworthy by colleagues share some of the same characteristics:

· They are skilled at their jobs

· They are passionate about their work , and have a strong work ethic

· They communicate honestly and value transparency

· They have others’ best interests at heart