Читать книгу 8 Timeless Leadership Principles - Sean Ortiz - Страница 3

Definition. Trust, noun: firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.

The first area of timeless leadership starts with the letter T which stands for trust. Trust is a word we all think we understand but when you look up the word trust in the dictionary, you're going to see that the word trust means that you are reliable . There's a sense of reliability about trust. People see in you that you are a person of your word. You are going to do what you say you are going to do. The next meaning is strength . There's strength in how you handle relationships and that all develops a sense of trust and reliability. I want you to ask yourself this question, “Am I reliable?” Are you somebody that when you say you’re going to do something, you do it? Is what you say what you do? Is what you do what you say?

There are many people we see in our lives who say one thing, but their actions speak a whole other thing. It can be very frustrating when you're dealing with people that are like that. When this type of person wants to be a leader, they never develop that sense of trust because they don't do what they say.

Trust is very important. I remember growing up as a young man in sixth grade, I loved those years. I loved many of my school years and the friends and the relationships I developed back then. In my sixth-grade year there was this time when we went out on the field. We were playing that famous disruptive game, dodge ball, and of course somebody got hit with the ball hard …ouch. The person who threw the ball said the other person was out, and the other person who got hit said they were not out. A huge argument ensued. It was very interesting because as they were arguing and going back and forth, something happened. One of them stops and says why don't we ask Sean. It was at that moment, when I look back now, that I could see that there was a sense of trust. Because I was friends with these people, I empathized with them even as a young child. I always cared about them and was a person that spoke to them. I was even with the person that was the outcast. I always had a heart to go out and reach out to others. I wanted to connect with them and find out who they were. Because of that it gave this sense of trust and they both turned to me and said, “Yeah, what do you think, Sean?” They both wanted me to decide, wanted to know what I thought, trusted my decision, and they both felt that I was reliable enough to decide in this very important matter. Well, in sixth grade, dodge-ball was important.

I had the ability and was reliable enough in their eyes to decide. And that's what I ended up doing. I decided, and everybody was fine. I decided the person was OUT. We continued to play the game but multiple times that happened in different situations while we played that day. I had gained a sense of trust that whenever there was dispute. They let me make the final call.

During my senior year there was a moment when people started to get nominated for different positions like the most perfect couple, the flirtiest, the most popular, the most likely to succeed, well you get the picture. I was picked the most inspirational. That was a unique title to be called back then. I was a person who was trusted. I am an encourager by nature and my friends knew they could rely on me to be in their corner. I was a person they trusted and that inspired them to be better.

I played varsity baseball and my position was shortstop. I had a great year, my best year ever. I had a batting average of 0.424 for the end of the season and hit in the number two spot. But you know what? I didn't make the pros. Unfortunately, I was too short for the major leagues. I didn’t get looked at by any scouts after they saw my size. With that said, I did not make a career playing ball but that year the team voted me most inspirational as well.

Most inspirational, out of everything that I could have received accolades for in my senior year. I could have been the MVP but the most inspirational meant a lot to me. What that meant to me was that they saw me as somebody that inspired them, that got them excited, and challenged them to do their best. I pushed them to know that they could do things when they felt they couldn't. When they were down, when they made the mistake, I was the one that didn't point out the mistake. I was the one that lifted them up and in doing so it gained a sense of trust with the team. The players looked at me to lead. They wanted to follow me because there was a sense of trust.

Trust is something that's developed, it's not something you demand, it is something you earn. I want to make sure that you understand that trust is something you earn.

Questions

Think about a few things. Ask yourself these questions:

Am I reliable?

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Am I developing my abilities to gain trust?

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This is not just pertaining to a work environment. It's pertaining to family, relationships, and friendships as well. We always need to check ourselves.

How do I become a person that others can trust? You do it by making sure you are reliable. Show people that you are someone they can count on and depend on. Take time to educate yourself about the situation you are dealing with so you can make good, informed decisions. Also, do people see strength in the decisions that you make? There is a sense of trust that comes along with a sense of strength.

Look at the different areas of your life and take time to evaluate them. Being a leader is something you grow and develop every day. Everybody can become a better leader and it starts with a foundation of TRUST.