DO YOU TRUST ME? If so, WHY do you trust me? Do you trust me because you know me? Because I teach at CMU (and CMU has a great reputation)? What makes you trust anyone? Is it integrity? Is it consistency? Or, maybe it's competence. Do you trust your employer? Your spouse? Your neighbor? Your doctor? Trust is critical. We are a social species. Trust has helped us evolve and dominate. As a result, we need to think another person will act in our best interest and "have our backs" (as in the image). Context is important, isn't it? Do you trust the person across from you in a poker game? At work? Do you trust that person who pulls over to help you when your car breaks down on a strange road in the middle of the night? We MUST trust. Develop your TRUST MUSCLE. Watch the other person's body language, their eyes, their hands, their posture. Pay attention to their tone of voice. Listen carefully to their words; their words will reveal their intentions. Consider their incentives. Are they altruistic and enjoy helping people, or do they have another agenda? Teams can't succeed without trust, per Patrick Lencioni. And, as someone else once said, "Trust is the glue that binds relationships. Without trust it's nearly impossible for any relationship to last." Build your relationships. Exercise your TRUST MUSCLE!
Trust -> Ownership -> Engagement
Trust is also contagious. It is a deeply rooted heuristic that can accomplish amazing feats but also can bring about unimaginable dangers. Great topic Ed.