Trust

People trust the humble, not the arrogant. I am consistently amazed at sales people who show a "been-there, done-that" attitude. "Know-it-alls" have a hard time being open to new ideas and better innovation. When I had the opportunity to teach on leadership at one of America's finest military academies, I knew I was speaking to some of our nation's bravest and brightest young men and women. The biggest problem for some of them was that they thought they were too. Though you can hardly blame them for their confidence, the fact is that people do not trust the arrogant. Too much pride turns people off and squelches learning and trust. It also diminishes leadership influence, sales, customer loyalty, and friends. Without humbling yourself to new ideas, you will become stagnant and lose The Trust Edge. I am guilty of having strong, stubborn convictions, but I also agree with the old saying that "the mind is like a parachute; it works better when it is open." Is there something you could learn fro a person who has a different background, a different way of doing things, or a different communication style? The key to humility is keeping an attitutude that there is always more to learn.

The Trust Edge: What Top Leaders Have & 8 Pillars to Build It, by David Horsager, p. 130