Much has been made of trust and its importance for relationships, leadership, and effectiveness. But how does it happen? What are the actions that lead to the deepening of faith and, in contrast, what do we do to tear down trust?

I found a good starting point in the book Trillion Dollar Coach which is a book about Bill Campbell who was coach to many tech giants.

Trust develops through 1) keeping your word, 2) loyalty, 3) integrity / character, 4) discretion.

These form the foundation of trust in all types of relationships. If one of these four breaks down so does trust. That makes trust a 24/7 intentional effort rather than something you are just good at that happens naturally or when you need it to.

Take some time this week to think through your key relationships. Where trust exists, my guess is that you will find all four of the above and vice-versa. These provide solid conversation points to strengthen the trust in our families and institutions.