Hello Reader

You might have heard me talk about the importance of building trusted relationships—being mindful of the words and images you use, how you make people feel, and doing what you say you will do.

I’ve mentioned that some people treat trust like a soft skill and think of it as something nice to have. But the truth is different. Trust is the foundation behind everything that you are trying to build as a consultant. You are not just sharing expertise. You are building relationships with people who rely on you and who you rely on.

I recently had a conversation with Ken Sher where we explored TRUST in a very practical way. Ken is an Executive Coach, Keynote Speaker, and author of What’s Trust Got To Do With It?

During our conversation Ken shared a turning point that changed everything for him:

"I found myself laid off with two kids in college... it was a really difficult time."

That moment reshaped how he thought about leadership, relationships, and trust. Ken and I dive into why technical skills alone are not enough to make a person successful and why trust often becomes the difference between simply doing the work and building a lasting business. We also discuss his T.R.U.S.T Success Model and how trust-driven behaviors shape long-term success.

Here are two key insights that we discussed and they are two I do not often emphasize.

When trust is missing, it is rarely labeled as trust. It shows up as hesitation, as unclear communication, and as performance issues that never quite get resolved. Many professionals, consultants included, try to fix the symptoms. Very few step back and address why they weren’t able to build trust.

Trust compounds and builds over time. People remember how you treated them and they come back into your life in ways you do not expect. Maybe a coworker from ten or fifteen years ago is now responsible for hiring someone like you to solve a problem. You never know when someone will come back into your life or how a relationship may guide your path more than your plan.

What was clear from our conversation is that even though Ken and I may think slightly differently about how trust is built, we strongly agree on two points:

I recommend watching the full conversation and listening to Ken's explanation of T.R.U.S.T which you can find at 6 minute time mark and his own story at the 12 minute time mark.

Ken offers a free e-book on his Trust Success Model and goes deeper into these ideas in his book What’s Trust Got to Do with It?, available on ​Amazon​. For Ken's free e-book request a copy by email ken@shercoaching.com.

To learn more about Ken:

As you move forward, remember:

And two questions to contemplate:

Until the next time,

Laura Burford

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Have a question? Send me an email at Laura@lauraburford.com.

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