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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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Trust Works! summary
Ken Blanchard, Cynthia Olmstead, Martha Lawrence
Four Keys to Building Lasting Relationships
15 mins
Brief summary
Trust Works! delves into the essential role of trust in personal and professional relationships. The authors present a practical, four-part model to identify, build, and maintain trust, fostering more productive and positive interactions.
Table of Contents
Trust Works!
Summary of 4 key ideas
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Key idea 1 of 4
A is for Able
There’s a measure of trust that grows naturally when others recognize your skills, consistency, and reliability. But being truly competent isn’t just about getting tasks done. It’s about proving through your actions that others can rely on you. Think of someone you deeply trust. Chances are, that trust is linked to their consistency – the way they reliably show up and follow through, no matter the circumstances.
Earning trust means steering clear of habits that make people doubt you. Consider that coworker who always misses deadlines or turns in rushed, sloppy work. Even if they mean well, that pattern makes it hard to rely on them. On the flip side, when you consistently show up and deliver quality results, people know they can count on you. And that’s what builds real trust.
Being competent isn’t just about knowing your stuff – it’s also about facing challenges head-on. Dodging problems or pushing them onto someone else makes it seem like you can’t (or won’t) handle them yourself. But when you step up, take action, and find solutions, you send a clear message: “I’ve got this. You can count on me.”
Still, competence doesn’t end at solving immediate problems. It also requires constantly growing and improving. If your skills stagnate, trust can slip. That’s why committing to learning – whether it’s through training, feedback, or new experiences – shows you’re serious about staying sharp and capable.
Consistency is just as important. It’s easy to think that a few flashes of brilliance can make up for being unreliable, but in reality, steady dependability matters more. People want to know they can count on you today, tomorrow, and beyond. Delivering high-quality work consistently is what truly builds trust.
And let’s be real: sometimes trust wavers simply because you’re not yet an expert in a certain area. The key here isn’t to fake it or cover up weaknesses. Instead, be upfront about what you don’t know and actively work to bridge the gap. When people see you’re committed to learning and growing, their trust in you doesn’t just stay intact – it strengthens.
At its core, real competence comes from effort and determination. If you’re just coasting or settling for “good enough,” it sends the message that you’re not fully invested – and trust is tough to build without genuine commitment. But when you consistently push yourself to do your best, it’s clear to everyone that your performance matters to you.
Take a moment to ask yourself, How often do I actually show up in ways that build trust? Then, go one step further and ask for honest feedback from someone who’s familiar with your work. Their perspective can help you pinpoint what’s going well, what needs tweaking, and what new habits might make the biggest impact. By taking action on these insights, you’re already on the path to strengthening the trust others place in you.
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What is Trust Works! about?
Trust Works! (2013) explores how trust shapes relationships and drives successful teams and organizations. It outlines the simple yet powerful ABCD – able, believable, connected, and dependable – trust model, which you can use to cultivate, maintain, and restore trust.
Who should read Trust Works!?
- Leaders and managers responsible for teams
- Individuals in charge of building positive company or group culture
- Anyone wanting to improve a specific relationship
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