What a thrilling experience I had this morning. I flew in an open-cockpit bi-plane for 45 minutes. Facing the wind at 100+ mph and enjoying the scenery would have been enough, but this flight included barrel roles and loop-de-loops. Woo hoo! My husband gave me this incredible experience as a birthday gift because he knew I’ve always wanted to fly like a barnstormer. I look up to the sky whenever I hear the unique sound of a small old plane in the distance. This shiny little red WACO was built in 1940. I was glad my husband was strapped into the seatbelt with me so we could experience it together.
We had total trust in pilot John from the moment he landed in front of us, flying with his 12- year-old son. That gave me instant peace of mind. I learned he graduated from Embry Riddle years ago, flew F-15s in the Air Force, and has loved bi-planes since he started flying at 17 in Ohio, where this plane was built.
Trusting John and this old plane made me think about how often we put our trust in strangers, expecting them to be trustworthy. And they are. Only a small percentage are not, yet, sadly, they get so much attention.
I believe the world functions every day because most people are trust worthy. Of course, there are unethical, dishonest people in every walk of life, but their numbers are small in comparison to the good, ethical, honest people. With consistent upstanding behavior from most, hope continues for our future.
Sometimes we trust immediately, as we did this morning. Sometimes, consistent acceptable behavior must be demonstrated first to earn trust.
We see what happens in situations where a leader breaks the trust of their people. It’s devastating. Yet, the majority of leaders are the caliber that builds trust over and over for the right reasons.
We all know that trust generates a sense of safety and confidence. In a safe environment, people feel freer to explore, express, create, and do their best. A safe environment provides more nutrients for growth.
When someone’s behaviors are inconsistent, or unethical at times, it leaves those around them unsure of what they can expect in the future and what is expected of them.
I work with leaders whose people thrive because there is mutual, consistent trust, respect, and honesty. We all want to work with people like that. Because that kind of environment generates powerful, promising possibilities. What can you do this week to build on the trust you have already generated?
