Who Can You Trust

When the terrorist organization Hezbollah distributed pagers and walkie-talkies to their members in Lebanon, they didn’t realize each device had been designed to serve as a remote-controlled bomb.

When those devices detonated, the world learned a critical lesson: be very careful who you trust within your supply chain.

AI presents another new challenge. For example, AI videos can now impersonate real people with startling accuracy. This means we need to learn new ways to trust what we see and hear.

But for most of us, the situation isn’t as bleak as it might seem. Trust is still built in the way that we develop and maintain relationships.

Increasingly, clients are hiring me to help build trust within their teams. My approach is simple: decide who you want to trust and intentionally create the conditions to make that trust possible.

Whether it’s through transparency, better communication, increased vulnerability, or clearer expectations, it’s important to be specific and intentional.

Ask yourself: who do you want to invest in building a trusting relationship with? What measures do you need to put in place to maintain trust with them and others?

You can continue to be cautious and discerning, but it’s important to establish an “inner circle” in which true collaboration can happen.

In this process, three key components often emerge.

First, do I truly understand you? Do I understand where you're coming from and why you make decisions the way you do?

Second, what do you see as your strengths—things you love doing and excel at—and what are the things you prefer to avoid?

And third—What can I count on you for, and what can you count on me for? How will we measure our efforts together and track our progress (or lack thereof)? How will we communicate quickly and honestly when things start to get off track?

Stay open and aware. Communicate clearly and regularly. Value each relationship, and pay close attention to how it evolves.

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I help successful leaders and their teams agree on what needs to change and how to make it happen. I am the author of?Fearless?Growth and?The Agility Advantage.?

For more strategies, videos and free materials, please visit?www.setili.com. If you are curious, here are a few quick examples of the work we do. You might also enjoy my Fearless Growth Podcast.

Contact me anytime to discuss your situation and how I can support you.