My friend and Chicago White Sox scout Kevin Burrell says, “You earn trust in drops – but you lose trust in bucket fulls.”
Trust is the foundation of all successful relationships. This is especially true with leaders and those who are on their teams.
We talk a lot about leaders earning and maintaining trust but the reverse is also true. How does someone who is new to an organization gain a leader’s trust?
On the September 22nd edition of The Herd With Colin Cowherd, former New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman discussed how he earned the trust of legendary quarterback Tom Brady. Watch the following video from the 1:43 – 3:43 mark and I will then discuss the leadership lessons afterwards:
7 Things You Can Do To Earn A Leader’s Trust
From Edelman’s comments, we learn 7 things you can do to earn a leader’s trust. First is the lesson followed by Edelman’s supporting comments:
- Trust Can Never Be Assumed. It Must Be Continually Earned. – It takes a lifetime to earn trust but trust can be lost at a moment in time. Edelman noted, “You didn’t earn Tom’s trust over one play. You had to continually earn Tom’s trust.”
- You Must Make Sacrifices To Earn A Leader’s Trust – Edelman literally moved to Los Angeles because that was where Brady was working out receivers Randy Moss and Wes Welker. He intuitively knew he needed to be there as well. He said, “I literally moved out to L.A.”
- You Earn A Leader’s Trust By Being Flexible And Being On Their Timeline – Trust is rarely earned by rigid people. Edelman added, “I want to throw whenever he wants.”
- You Earn A Leader’s Trust By Serving Them With Excellence – People who can lighten a leader’s load and help make them successful are more likely to earn their trust. Edelman realized, “I’m out here for him.”
- A Good Start Helps You Earn Trust – It takes a long time to earn a leader’s trust but they can lose trust in you instantly. Therefore, smart people do their best to make a good first impression. Edelman noted, “The first year he called me one time. I dropped everything and I went.”
- Greater Levels Of Trust And Responsibility Must Be Justified – When you prove trustworthy with the opportunities you have been given, you will receive more responsibility. Edelman observed, “The second year I went out there we started doing a little more.”
- A Lack Of Options Is An Opportunity To Earn Trust – There is a difference between sensing opportunity and seizing it. When Welker left the team, Edelman knew it was his opportunity to gain Brady’s trust. He said, “When I got in there, they didn’t have Wes (Welker). … He has no choice he has to throw to this guy.”
Which one of these seven lessons can you do to earn more of your leader’s trust?
My latest eBook is available for download. The Top 65 Leadership Quotes Of 2022 Part 1 is a resource every leader should have. Great quotes bring clarity and put into words who we intuitively feel as leaders. They give us wisdom and insights which advance the mission and vision of our organizations. This eBook includes thoughts and insights from leaders like Warren Buffett, Nick Saban, James Clear, Dawn Staley, Jurgen Klopp, Jerry Seinfeld, and even Ted Lasso. This resource will take you about 10 minutes to read but a lifetime to apply. You will want to stop and ponder the implications of each quote. Click HERE or on the image provided for immediate download!