12 Principles of Trust

As BNI members, we build our business relationships on a foundation of trust, or we don't survive very long.

My friend Bill was told that his options for putting a water cooler in his gym were 1) pay $50 a month to lease the machine, or 2) pay $80 a month to own it. He chose to own it. Now the finance company, which apparently OWNS the contract he signed, says that private ownership should have never been an option. Now that he has paid his $8,000 plus annual maintenance costs, they are ready to pick up their machine.

The BNI member he "bought" this from (let's call her Sarah) has some explaining to do. According to the finance company, Sarah was never authorized to offer an ownership option in the first place. Regardless of how this turns out, it is doubtful that Sarah will recover from this blatant trust violation. Review the 12 principles below and ask yourself how they apply to the way you do business, in and out of BNI.

1. We trust people who understand who we are and what we are about.

2. We trust people who help us discover the truth, even if it is uncomfortable.

3. We show our trustworthiness by asking good questions and listening.

4. Ask tough, though-provoking questions – the kind nobody else ever asks.

5. We trust people who respect our values.

6. We trust people who make us think.

7. We trust people who are accurate.

8. We trust people with whom we have an emotional bond.

9. We trust people who believe in their recommendations enough to express themselves with conviction.

10. We trust people who “speak our language.”

11. We trust people who do what they say they are going to do.

12. We trust people who care.