One of the most important things to keep in mind when building someone’s trust is your communication with them. Being able to effectively interact with other people is the first step in determining what you can do for each other. Trust is all about meeting people’s needs, whether in business or in friendship, and you must communicate to understand what each person’s needs are.
Speak about your feelings out loud
Remember that when you are trying to build trust with someone, you’re working to change their behavior. Thoughts stem from needs, and thoughts drive feelings and actions. Discussing and learning someone’s needs is the first step in providing for them.
When you prove that you can meet someone else’s needs, they change their thoughts towards you. And when they change their thoughts, they’ll change their feelings. Our feelings towards someone are how we know if we can trust them. This chain of thoughts, feelings, and actions is exactly what you need to keep in mind when entering into any kind of relationship. Knowing how this mental process works will enable you to connect with others in a very significant way and establish that much-needed trust.
To start determining feelings and needs, you can start by practicing on yourself. Determine your own needs in a relationship by speaking aloud about your feelings or your thoughts. From here, see if you can determine what your specific needs are in the relationship based on these expressed feelings.
Lean into the natural urge to connect with others
Communicating and forming relationships are actually ingrained in us. Aristotle is famous for saying that “man is a social animal,” meaning that we are, by nature, bound to establish relationships with one another. Society relies on people coming together to form ideas, create things, and improve on concepts. Otherwise, there would be no cohesion in our society. Things cannot get done without trust because it is the glue that holds everything together and allows for growth. Discussing with others is crucial to establishing trust. No matter what the scenario is, communicating ideas and relying on one another is the only way to get things done.
Consider other peoples’ values when communicating with them
Another important part of effective communication is understanding one another’s values. Each person’s values are different and make up their identity. These are the things that you feel strongly about and are usually determined by how you grew up. Values inform how you react to certain situations, and understanding where someone stands on certain things can help you when trying to establish a strong relationship with them. You want to be sure not to offend someone or say something that would make them question their faith in you. Sharing your values with another person and asking about theirs is a simple step in getting closer and learning about each other. Being respectful is key to good, honest communication.
In establishing a business or personal relationship, you have to bridge the gap between you and the person. Forming a bond is how you make them want to give you their time and create a connection with you. With a genuine understanding of how trust is formed and the importance of communication, you’ll be well on your way to forming strong relationships with others.
For more information on the importance of communication when building trust, read Imran and Aimee Tariq’s book “Pyramid of Trust.” The best-selling authors walk readers through communicating and forming better relationships in life.
