How can you establish trust between businesses?

1 Communicate clearly and frequently

Communication is essential for trust-building. You need to communicate your expectations, goals, challenges, and feedback to your partners regularly and transparently. Use multiple channels and formats, such as emails, calls, meetings, reports, and presentations, to ensure clarity and consistency. Listen actively and respectfully to your partners' perspectives and concerns, and address them promptly and constructively. Avoid assumptions, jargon, and ambiguity, and seek confirmation and clarification when needed.

3 Share your values and vision

Trust is also based on alignment, not just agreement. You need to share your values and vision with your partners, and understand theirs. Find out what motivates, drives, and inspires your partners, and what challenges, risks, and opportunities they face. Align your goals and strategies with your partners, and create a shared vision for the partnership. Demonstrate how your partnership can create value for both parties, and how you can support each other's growth and success.

4 Respect your differences and diversity

Trust is not about conformity, but about complementarity. You need to respect your differences and diversity with your partners, and leverage them as strengths. Recognize and appreciate your partners' expertise, skills, and experiences, and learn from them. Respect your partners' culture, norms, and preferences, and adapt to them. Celebrate your partners' achievements, and acknowledge their contributions. Don't impose your views or values on your partners, and don't criticize or judge them unfairly.

5 Collaborate and cooperate

Trust is not about competition, but about cooperation. You need to collaborate and cooperate with your partners, and foster a sense of teamwork and partnership. Involve your partners in decision-making, planning, and problem-solving, and seek their input and feedback. Share your resources, information, and insights with your partners, and offer your help and support when needed. Create opportunities for joint learning, innovation, and improvement. Don't withhold or hoard information or resources, and don't undermine or sabotage your partners.

6 Build personal relationships

Trust is not only about business, but also about personal relationships. You need to build personal relationships with your partners, and show them that you care about them as people, not just as business entities. Get to know your partners on a personal level, and share your interests, hobbies, and stories. Express your gratitude, appreciation, and recognition to your partners, and show them respect and empathy. Be honest, authentic, and friendly with your partners, and don't be afraid to show some humor and personality.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?