People talk a lot about “building trust,” within a team or with donors. As if it is physical scaffolding that can be built for people to operate within.
I think a better analogy is “giving trust,” because trust is something we all have at our disposable. We don’t have to build it. It can be created without much “building” at all.
Trust is, first and foremost, a decision, not an activity. It’s an approach we can either bring with us or hold back from offering. Trusting is a choice.
If you want the trust to increase within your team or with a donor or with anyone, start by asking one simple question:
“Am I willing to give my trust?”
And, if the answer is not, “yes,” an important second question, “why not?”