| The Five Cs of Trust | | | | passion and enthusiasm that most powerfully recruit |
| Character | | | | the hearts and minds of those around you. Others |
| Competence | | | | are more likely to jump on board if they can see |
| Confidence | | | | your conviction. Enthusiasm is a great moving force |
| Credibility | | | | that we should seek to permeate into all we do. It is |
| Congruence | | | | the drive that keeps our motivation up until the goal |
| The Five Points of Presence | | | | is reached. Emerson said, "Nothing great was ever |
| Charisma | | | | achieved without enthusiasm." Another great thinker, |
| Enthusiasm | | | | especially in the area of personal development, |
| Optimism | | | | Norman Vincent Peale, said, "When one gets |
| Empathy | | | | enthusiastic, the entire personality lights up. The mind |
| Vision | | | | becomes sharper, more intuitive; the entire life force |
| Why do you suppose that the first major category | | | | and creative ability are enhanced. Such a person is |
| deals with trust? The ability to gain and keep trust is | | | | motivated and will certainly make an impact." |
| a vital factor in being able to influence your team. | | | | Another key factor is optimism. Optimism is more |
| Research has shown, time and time again, that trust | | | | than a positive mental attitude. It is not just thinking |
| is always a contributing factor in the ability to | | | | about positive things and then hoping they will come |
| influence others. When a person trusts you, that | | | | true. True optimism is a frame of reference that |
| trust alone can cause them to accept you. On the flip | | | | governs how you lead. Optimists don't just hope for |
| side, if your team doesn't trust you, all the evidence, | | | | but they actually expect success and goodness. Even |
| reasoning, facts or figures in the world won't get | | | | when there are setbacks, they are able to quickly |
| them to budge. Character is the foundation of trust. | | | | bounce back. If you can inspire optimism in your |
| I also believe that the teaching of Phillips Brooks, a | | | | team members, they will be grateful for your positive |
| nineteenth-century clergyman, offers profound | | | | influence and the difference it makes not only in the |
| wisdom on the nature of character: "Character is | | | | workplace, but also in their personal lives. Nobody |
| made in the small moments in our lives." Stop and | | | | wants to be around a moody, angry or pessimistic |
| think a moment about those individuals in your life | | | | manager. Your optimism will attract others and be |
| whom you respect most deeply. While you may be | | | | contagious. Once your optimism spreads, your team |
| able to recall a few momentous occasions, it is likely | | | | will begin working together with a lot of positive |
| that it is these people's quiet example that has most | | | | energy. |
| impressed you. It is their very nature and spirit, even | | | | Now, let's spend some time on attitude. Remember |
| when they are not "on stage," that has garnered | | | | the old adage "Success in life is 85 percent attitude |
| your respect. | | | | and 15 percent aptitude"? Harvard University actually |
| Competence is your knowledge and ability in a | | | | conducted a study wherein it was determined that |
| particular subject area and comes from life-long | | | | "success" (income, status, prestige, etc.) had |
| learning and experience. We consider others to be | | | | significantly more to do with attitude than ability. In |
| competent when we see them continually learning | | | | fact, attitude appeared to contribute more to lifetime |
| and advancing their training and education, being | | | | earnings than even a person's level of education. |
| successful in what they do or having a strong track | | | | Your attitude reflects what's going on inside of you |
| record with the various people they have worked | | | | and is a strong indicator of what will actually play out |
| with. Obviously, competency is a crucial element to | | | | on the surface. That's why, when it comes to |
| trust. If your team is to trust you, they have to feel | | | | teambuilding, an optimistic attitude starts with you. |
| like you know what you're doing. Confidence is also a | | | | Optimism is something you can control, and you can't |
| major factor in gaining trust and influence. You can | | | | expect your team to develop it if you don't have it |
| probably think of a time when it was very apparent | | | | yourself. |
| that someone you were relying on was not very | | | | Empathy is another major part of being an effective |
| confident in her/his abilities. In turn, her/his lack of | | | | leader. When someone feels your empathy, they will |
| confidence made you feel uneasy. You must exude | | | | be more open to your influence. The world is full of |
| confidence or else your team will feel like it's a case | | | | people who are trying to make us do things for their |
| of "the blind leading the blind." They will not trust in | | | | reasons. It is refreshing to find someone who will |
| you or your abilities; therefore, you will have very | | | | take the time to pause and seek to understand. As a |
| little influence over them. | | | | leader, once you know whom you are dealing with, |
| The next attribute under the trust umbrella is | | | | what s/he is thinking and why s/he is thinking such |
| credibility. Gerry Spence, perhaps the most famous | | | | things, you will be better able to empathize. |
| trail lawyer of all time, explained the importance of | | | | Zig Ziglar points out that this kind of focus on others |
| credibility the best: "One can stand as the greatest | | | | actually helps us meet our own needs: "The best |
| orator the world has known, possess the quickest | | | | way to get what you want out of life is to help |
| mind, employ the cleverest psychology and have | | | | others get what they want." When you're trying to |
| mastered all the technical devices of argument, but if | | | | work on being more empathetic, you must |
| one is not credible, one might just as well preach to | | | | remember the universal needs of all men and women: |
| the pelicans." To boost your credibility with your | | | | approval, attention, praise, encouragement, |
| team, find out who your team knows and respects. | | | | understanding and acceptance. We can learn a lot |
| See if you can get their mentor's endorsement, | | | | about empathy from the ancient classic Tao-te-Ching |
| either in person or in writing, to back up your | | | | by Lao-tzu. It states: "Evolved leaders win the trust |
| credibility. If you are a known expert in your field, be | | | | and support of the people through their complete |
| sure to communicate that you have studied the | | | | identification with them. The interests of people are |
| subject, researched it and met with its other experts. | | | | naturally promoted because they become the |
| Also, be prepared to drop the names of people your | | | | interests of the leader as well." |
| team will recognize. Another way to boost your | | | | Vision is the final attribute of the Five Points of |
| credibility is to always present yourself in a calm, | | | | Presence. Influential leaders have a clearly defined |
| organized and authoritative manner. Being overly | | | | vision, which in turn serves as a powerful tool in |
| emotional or flustered throws your credibility out the | | | | helping others see the big picture. Most people will |
| window. | | | | embrace their leader's vision if they know exactly |
| The last building block of trust is congruence. | | | | where they fit into it and what they have to do to |
| Congruence means that your words and actions | | | | achieve it. Vision should pull the team together and |
| always match. You are not one who is known to say | | | | generate energy, passion and a willingness to work |
| one thing and then do another. Agreement and | | | | hard. Creating a sound vision begins with focusing on |
| harmony in your verbal and nonverbal messages | | | | our destination. In other words, you must know |
| increase trust, and hence your ability to influence. | | | | where you are going. If you hope to achieve |
| When congruence is lacking, red flags go up in your | | | | outstanding results, give your team clear direction. |
| team members' minds. You can probably think of a | | | | Stephen Covey said, "To begin with the end in mind |
| manager you've known whose words you always | | | | means to start with a clear understanding of your |
| had to take with a grain of salt. Such an individual is | | | | destination. It means to know where you're going so |
| not the type of person you are likely to be | | | | that you better understand where you are now and |
| influenced by. | | | | so that the steps you take are always in the right |
| Now that we've revealed the Five Cs of Trust, let's | | | | direction." Lastly, when you plan and execute your |
| take a moment to examine the Five Points of | | | | vision, don't be afraid to dream big. Walt Disney once |
| Presence. Presence is the ability to influence and | | | | said, |
| empower others. Your presence energizes and | | | | Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's |
| inspires other individuals. They are compelled to follow | | | | blood and probably themselves will not be realized. |
| you because of the vision you offer. Charisma heads | | | | Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, |
| the list of attributes under the Five Points of | | | | remembering that a noble, logical diagram once |
| Presence and is a big part of motivating others. | | | | recorded will never die, but long after we are gone |
| People who are charismatic often hold us in awe. | | | | will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing |
| Their energy prods us, motivates us and inspires us. | | | | insistency. |
| They fulfill our need to have heroes. We feel better | | | | Think of the incredible legacy that has been enjoyed |
| for having met them, seen them, listened to them | | | | by millions and that will continue to touch generations |
| and interacted with them. Charisma is closely related | | | | of people because of this one man's vision. It all |
| to enthusiasm. If you are passionate about what you | | | | started with one man, whose enthusiasm had a ripple |
| do, your enthusiasm will carry over into your | | | | effect on all those he worked with. Walt Disney's |
| interactions with your team. It is quite possibly | | | | mark will forever be emblazoned upon the world. |