ou to verify this for yourself. Choose any aspect of your own business, other than your specialist expertise, such as administration, IT, marketing, sales or recruitment. Now ask yourself “If I were going away for three months, who would I unreservedly I am writing this in an overcrowded departure lounge, awaiting a delayed flight to Edinburgh, Scotland. On my left, two consultants are having a conversation. One of them is giving lots of advice. “Does that answer your question?” he now asks. From his companion’s face, I would say the question has long been forgotten. The folded arms, shifting eyes and blank look all indicate that this long-suffering human being is silently praying for the flight to be called – or anything that will deliver him from the verbal onslaught he currently endures.

We never get to use our skills until someone trusts us enough to share a problem with us. While others shield themselves behind a wall that says “I’m fine”, there is little space in which to do business. The biggest blocks to doing business are often not our fees, our talents, our message nor our skills, but the fact that not enough people really trust us.

How many people do you trust?

A simple experiment should enable you to verify this for yourself. Choose any aspect of your own business, other than your specialist expertise, such as administration, IT, marketing, sales or recruitment. Now ask yourself “If I were going away for three months, who would I unreservedly t

companion’s face, I would say the question has long been forgotten. The folded arms, shifting eyes and blank look all indicate that this long-suffering human being is silently praying for the flight to be called – or anything that will deliver him from the verbal onslaught he currently endures.

We never get to use our skills until someone trusts us enough to share a problem with us. While others shield themselves behind a wall that says “I’m fine”, there is little space in which to do business. The biggest blocks to doing business are often not our fees, our talents, our message nor our skills, but the fact that not enough people really trust us.

How many people do you trust?

A simple experiment should enable you to verify this for yourself. Choose any aspect of your own business, other than your specialist expertise, such as administration, IT, marketing, sales or recruitment. Now ask yourself “If I were going away for three months, who would I unreservedly

the verbal onslaught he currently endures.

We never get to use our skills until someone trusts us enough to share a problem with us. While others shield themselves behind a wall that says “I’m fine”, there is little space in which to do business. The biggest blocks to doing business are often not our fees, our talents, our message nor our skills, but the fact that not enough people really trust us.

How many people do you trust?

A simple experiment should enable you to verify this for yourself. Choose any aspect of your own business, other than your specialist expertise, such as administration, IT, marketing, sales or recruitment. Now ask yourself “If I were going away for three months, who would I unreservedly

iness. The biggest blocks to doing business are often not our fees, our talents, our message nor our skills, but the fact that not enough people really trust us.

How many people do you trust?

A simple experiment should enable you to verify this for yourself. Choose any aspect of your own business, other than your specialist expertise, such as administration, IT, marketing, sales or recruitment. Now ask yourself “If I were going away for three months, who would I unreservedly

ou to verify this for yourself. Choose any aspect of your own business, other than your specialist expertise, such as administration, IT, marketing, sales or recruitment. Now ask yourself “If I were going away for three months, who would I unreservedly trust with this part of my business?” Count the number of people you can name – it probably won’t take long!

What gets in the way of trust?

On my left, Mr. Consultant’s companion has escaped to the bathroom. The first rule of trust is that we must be able to listen. All sorts of issues get in the way of listening: our needs, our agenda, the need to prove we are right, the desire to prove we can make a contribution. If we didn’t have to be right, what a difference that would make!

The second rule of trust is that we must service a need that really exists. If we first have to create the need, we become evangelical. Evangelists might be admired, but are less easily trusted, as they are often viewed as being more attached to their message than their client.

Credibility

Thirdly, specialists are usually perceived to excel, while generalists are often viewed as “jack of all trades”. Specialists tend to be trusted as experts in their field.