Cultivate

9The Rough

“Trust,” Austin said, scrolling through her phone. “Ah, my specialty,” Collin sarcastically sighed while winking at Alex.

“What does it say, Austin?” Alex asked, even though he already knew the answer.

“There are a lot of bullet points here, Dad. You must be reliable. People want to feel safe and secure. Are you someone people know, like, and trust? But if they get too safe or too secure, they might not work hard,” she said in rapid‐fire succession.

“Hold on, hold on,” Alex said, holding up his hands. “Let's take them one by one. The first one says. . .?”

“You must be reliable.”

“To build trust in the first place, a professional must be reliable and consistent with their performance,” Alex said. Collin just looked blankly into the sky. “I am extremely reliable, so everyone must trust me. I am the most trustworthy person here.” Alex wasn't sure if he was joking or not.

Suddenly Austin interrupted the awkward silence with a breath of fresh air. “People want to feel safe and secure.”

“Right. That's what trust does, right. It gives your team safety and security. It allows them to do their job because they trust you to have their back—that you will do what you say you're going to do.

“How is trust different from accountability?” Austin asked.

“Great question. So glad you asked. Trust is something we develop with people over time. Or give it to them until they violate it. ...