Move at the Speed of Trust
At Rooted Strategy, we often call in adrienne maree brown’s principles of Emergent Strategy. One of these principles is move at the speed of trust. When I’m in relationship with people or organizations that are undergoing crisis, tension, or stagnation, lack of trust is usually at the core of it.
Merriam Webster defines trust as reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.
Why is it so hard to rely on other people? Or maybe the question is: why is it so hard for us to place our trust in others, to allow others to be relied upon? Based on my observations and experiences, there are a few things I’ve taken away:
1. Too often, I have made assumptions FOR people rather than letting them speak their truth. For example, when someone approached a situation in a way I disagreed with, I sometimes would dwell on it internally and make up a story about all the reasons why they did that. My current practice is never to assume I have all the information and to ask for clarity, so we can be aligned on all the facts, feelings, and interpretations.
2. I realized that I don’t really “know” people. You know people for what they do and who they are when you meet them, but we forget to check in along the way. What has changed with you? What do you care about today? What have you learned? Some of the answers may surprise you, even when you ask them of yourself. Building trust becomes easier when we take the time to deepen our relationships by learning about each other’s strengths, abilities, and desires. My current practice is curiosity and candor, getting to know others and allowing myself to be known as well.
3. Perhaps most importantly, I’m learning to trust myself. I’m one of those classic “What if” second guesser kind of people, and it’s exhausting. Another adrienne maree brown principle that helps me build more confidence in myself is less prep, more presence which I believe is deeply rooted in trusting ourselves and our experience. When I first heard that principle, I thought mostly about my role as a facilitator, but have learned how deeply embedded it is in every aspect of my life. My default behavior is that I don’t just prepare for my work; I prepare for every conversation and encounter in hopes of being in control of the outcome. My current practice is to let go of all the possible scenarios and be present with the one that is unfolding right in front of me.
The common thread of my lessons about trust is connection. The more distance we create between ourselves, the more difficult it becomes to trust each other. But if we can commit to authentic encounters based in communication, curiosity, and self-awareness, we can generate trust that helps us to overcome any challenge.
At Rooted Strategy, we prioritize relationships and trust when it comes to establishing and sustaining long-term strategic change. As you do your work in your organization, on your team or even within yourself, remember to seek more information, continually ask questions, and trust your own experiences. Embrace the power of genuine connections and trust, and witness the way your endeavors move forward with more clarity and focus.
