For you to be effective at selling – whether it’s a product or a proposal or idea – it’s often said that people need to know you, like you, and trust you. Trust really is the key factor; knowing and liking can help with the trust.
What kind of trust?
→ Trust that you care
→ Trust that you are competent
→ Trust that you have character
But what if you focus all your attention on knowing and liking, without investing in trust?
Without trust, a focus on getting people to know you and like you is just a popularity contest.
Chasing popularity, especially in a work environment, may temporarily bring you attention and opportunity. But without building trust, you won’t achieve lasting and meaningful influence. Sure, you may directly influence individuals through your charm, but that’s not the same a making a positive difference that will last beyond you.
In fact, the kinds of easy, people-pleasing decisions that build personal popularity can often contribute to the long-term downfall of an organization.
That doesn’t give you license to be rude. You still need to build trust by showing people that you care, that you’re competent, and that you have character. But don’t put so much weight on being liked that you’re afraid to take necessary but unpopular action in your leadership.
And if you want a thinking partner to help you navigate a difficult and potentially unpopular decision, let’s talk. Visit https://stevedwire.com/talk for a complimentary conversation.
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