5 Phrases That Build Trust

Slip these words into your conversations to build trust between friends and colleagues

1“Hi! You’re looking…”

Don’t just give friends and colleagues an upwards nod or a quick “How are you?” as you breeze past. Pause and comment on their appearance, whether they look happy, sad or sick. You’ll probably spark a conversation about the weekend plans they’re looking forward to or the sick child they’re taking care of, says Dr Paul Zak, author of Trust Factor: The Science of Creating High Performance Companies. Instead of making small talk, “it’s a much deeper conversation, but people almost always respond well,” he says. “It builds that emotional tie.”

2 “I understand what you’re saying”

Even if you disagree with someone’s views, show them you respect their beliefs with a phrase like “I appreciate your opinion” before trying to change their mind, says Dr Lisa Gueldenzoph Snyder, professor and chair of the department of business education at North Carolina A&T State University. “Then provide an example that supports their perspective before transitioning the conversation to your perspective,” she says. This way, they’ll feel less criticised and will be more open to trusting what you have to say.

3 “How did you think that went?”

When starting a conversation about how someone could improve, let people gauge their success by their own standards. Starting with your own judgements could make the other person clam up and share less information. “Let them decide how successful it was and what they want to talk about,” says Dr Carla Chamberlin- Quinlisk, a professor of

“You might think mistakes will kill your credibility, but accepting your shortcomings actually builds trust”

applied linguistics, communication arts and sciences at Pennsylvania State University. “If you put a judgement on it and ask what they can do better, it puts that person on the defence.”

4 “What can I do better?”

Asking this lets others know you’re open to positive change. In order to foster a team mentality, you should show that you are willing to make changes to help others out when needed, a critical value in any environment. Not only can this mentality help out a team working to achieve a goal, it also shows that you possess the motivation for selfdevelopment.

5 “I’m all ears”

Telling someone you’re listening is the first step, but be sure to follow through. A comment such as this makes you accountable for listening to what is being said to you. Then Inc. magazine suggests, match your body language to the level of engagement you need in the conversation and make sure to acknowledge their ideas.

Trust is built on being consistent and reliable – something our healthcare professionals uphold daily. Read on for the Trusted Professions Results.