The essence of living a higher ground life lies in cultivating trusting relationships. These relationships are not haphazard occurrences but deliberate investments that require nurturing over time. They form the bedrock of human achievement and liberty by fostering trust. When trust is established, we can collaborate without the constant fear of betrayal, exploitation, or deceit.
Earning trust comes by living out five time-tested values that serve as the foundation for building and sustaining all meaningful relationships.
Competency
Competence measures the ability to deliver on what you say. Can you achieve what you promise to those around you? Without competence it is impossible to wade into the deeper waters of meaningful relationship building. Competence is comprised of both functional ingredients—preparedness, grasp of skills, proficiency AND emotional ingredients—empathy, social responsibility, adaptability.
Consistency.
Consistency answers the question, “am I dependable?” You can’t measure trust episodically. If you’re inconsistent, those around you tend to withdraw from the relationship rather than draw closer. Showing up in a consistent manner requires commitment and a high-level of perseverance.
Candor.
Are you honest? Are your communications transparent? Candor is the measure of how others perceive your genuineness and openness. A lack of communication creates uneasiness in relationships. Authenticity is critically important in building trust.
Concern.
Concern is a measure of how you demonstrate that you care. It’s one thing to be competent and consistent in your performance, but if you don’t take time to show you care about others you’ll fall short in cementing meaningful relationships. Concern is most evident when you choose to go above and beyond what’s expected.
Connection.
Connection represents the most potent of all the behaviors required to build meaningful relationships.
It is a measure of the depth of commitment, sacrifice, acceptance and reciprocity demonstrated in the relationships you value most. The most sustainable relationships are those that are authentically built on a foundation of shared common values.