“Trust is the lubrication that makes it possible for organizations to work. It´s hard to imagine an organization without semblance of trust operating somehow, somewhere. An organization without trust is more than an anomaly, it´s a misnomer, a dim creature of Kafka´s imagination. Trust implies accountability, predictability , reliability. It´s what sells products and keeps organizations humming. Trust is the glue that maintains organizational integrity.”

― Warren Bennis y Burt Nanus

In today’s world, we all need the cooperation of an unimaginable number of people, even for the most trivial things.

For example, think about the device from which you are reading this and the people who collaborated so you can have it right now in your hands: designers, assemblers, transporters, sellers…

All this has to be in the right place and done in a specific way, so that it is now in your hands. That’s the case with everything we buy or consume. If something is not where and when we expect it, we lose confidence.

Organizations are networks of commitments, and we are part of that network. The ability to know what we have to do, commit, and execute our part of the deal, is a process that happens every day through the requests and answers we give or that are given to us.

The following question and practical exercise can help you work towards that excellent performance!

Powerful question to ask yourself:

When I say yes to a request, do I have the will, capabilities, and resources to do it? Check on yourself.

Make change happen:

Try  this!

Every time you finish a meeting or conversation, ask and clarify:

• What needs to be done?
• Who will do it?
• When does it need to be done by?
• What is the quality expected?

At the same time, the next time you receive a request, give it the necessary attention to respond    based on:

• Do you intend to meet the conditions requested? If the answer is no, you better say it and deal with the difficult conversation now.
• Is there anything you didn’t understand that needs to be clarified? If yes, ask!
• Is there anything about the request that doesn’t quite work? Express your opinion and renegotiate times,  standards  or whatever it takes!

In these conversations, you have the power to commit to what you can and want to accomplish. If not, you’ll be creating a bigger problem that will require a lot more energy to solve.