Despite how the year has been, especially with the need to stay physically distant from people, I have met new people. So yes, I haven’t had much physical interaction but I have engaged with so many people in the social media space. A few of those relationships have even bloomed into friendships that are likely to last. 

 

So I was on a phone call with one of such people and as the conversation progressed, she got to tell me why she particularly felt drawn to me. She said she felt safe with me. She had no restrictions with being vulnerable with me. In other words, I had made it easy for her to trust me. That conversation, made me realize that we have all been equipped with what we need to build relationships. 

 

I believe that trust is a currency that determines how much influence we have on people. This is not only true in personal instances but also business. People will do business, to a certain degree with who they trust. The more anyone trusts you, the more share of their wallet you’d likely have. 

 

Communication is basically about sending a message to a receiver, the receiver gets the intended message and possibly gives feedback that is appropriate to show that understanding took place. Communication can be one of or a combination of verbal, written, and many other nuances. 

 

Here are just a few tips to help you build trust, using communication.

 

• First, build rapport – break the ice. This provides a foundation and allows you to bypass people’s conscious resistance more easily. You can achieve this with a compliment. Humour also works for some people (but you’ve got to be careful when using humour so that you don’t end up creating a disconnect). 
• Use empathy. Show that you truly care. Do not pretend to care when you do not. 
• Listen actively. Pay attention to what is being said or written. Go a step further by paying attention to what is also not being said.
• Communicate with a deep sense of regard.
• Do not give in to the temptation to always be the chatty one even if you are the expert on the topic of discussion. If your conversation is work-related, speak with confidence, and avoid apologising for your views, after all, it is okay to have a divergent perspective on a subject. 
• Nurture your relationships. Relationships are like living organisms. You need to commit to developing them.

 

There are so many other ways to build trust, it would be great to read your thoughts in the comment section.

Please do share.