Authenticity and frankness build crucial trust

By Linda Julian

Humans have well developed “crap detectors”:  some have remarkable capacities to work out who’s on the level, who’s not being completely frank or straightforward, and who’s not telling them the whole story.

Strong client relationships depend on the trust that develops in an open, frank, and truly authentic dynamic.

This goes well beyond mere technical honesty  -  and may at times call for the courage and gumption to speak fiercely.

An expert professional can go a long way to building trust  -  and truly serving his/her client  -  by:

• saying what you really think and believe
• when necessary, giving the bad news clearly and unmistakably
• not hiding unpleasant facts, issues, or possibilities
• admitting when you’ve made an error, got it wrong, or even changed your mind
• being clear about your limitations.

Showing the authentic, real you to your client is not to be feared or avoided  -  you’ll be far more believable and trustworthy when you show that you’re absolutely straightforward and don’t shy away from bad news.