Leading for Learning

Chapter 3

Phase I: Build Trust

Connection: the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive substance and strength from the relationship.

— Brené Brown

If you’ve ever wondered how important relationships and trust really are in getting results, consider the story reported in The New York Times of a professional DJ named Azmyth Kaminski who agreed to cut off his dreadlocks and present himself as a financial planner to potential clients.¹ The goal of the exercise designed by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards was to see how people screen a financial planner and to what extent the general public could determine competence in money ...