The Currency Of Trust

Mal Fletcher Added 12 December 2008

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The Supremacy Of Influence Over Power

Whichever way you turn, you can't escape the long arm of politics. I suppose you could say that's especially true of American politics.

Those of us who live outside the USA have no opportunity to shape its domestic governance, yet we will all, to one degree or another, be impacted by its decisions.

H. G. Wells observed that, 'In our age there is no such thing as "keeping out of politics." All issues are political issues…'

Aristotle saw politics not just within society, but within human nature. He declared that, 'Man is by nature a political animal.'

We might certainly debate the 'animal' part of his description, but there may be some truth in the idea that we're inherently political. After all, politics does seem to find its way into all kinds of human group behaviour.

This may dismay some of us, who can only take so much talk about politics and politicians.

Yet there is one big lesson we can and should carry away from the recent US elections. It's this: the biggest issue in any election is not the economy, or education, or even employment - it is trust.

While politics has come to touch almost everything in our lives, the public is generally quite sceptical about civic and government leaders. That cynicism is in part fired by a deep sense of mistrust.

'All politicians make promises in their manifestos,' some people will tell you. 'But their promises are worth nothing after they're elected.'

Trust is the basis of all real influence. Whether we're building governments, businesses or families, there can be no leadership without trust.

Autocratic power may be a potent force for change, but it is short-lived. Autocrats are generally regarded with fear more than affection during their time at the top -- and with loathing once they are gone.

Power can be grasped, but true and lasting influence must be given. Influence comes with the establishment of trust. When people trust their leaders, there is openness, vulnerability, which is the currency of all social change.

What is the source of trust?

A few years ago, the renowned Christian evangelist Dr. Billy Graham was the subject of a LIFE magazine article. The writers of the feature piece noted that when people were drawn to Graham's ministry and campaigns, it was not his communication or organizational skills which held them.

Though the magazine didn't necessarily endorse Dr. Graham's views, they noted that a key to his success was the fact that many people saw in him a mark of sincerity. Many people trusted him, so they allowed him to influence their thoughts and decisions.

Trust is an absolutely indispensable part of leadership at any level, or in any sphere of life, whether it's government, business, community or family.

The first key to establishing trust is sincerity. The word comes to us from the joining of two Greek words: 'sin' and 'cera', which put together mean 'without wax'.

In the golden days of Greek culture, expensive marble statues were not easily repaired. If someone accidentally knocked a chunk from a sculpture, the waxman went to work, moulding a lump of wax to match the missing piece of stone.

When the wax was coloured and dried, you couldn't tell the real from the fake - at least, not from a distance. It was only when you got close that you could see the flaw. 'Sin cera', without wax, equates to 'real up-close'.

Trust is also the by-product of character.

Our character is gauged by the quality of our decisions and responses under pressure. Will we do the right thing, the morally or ethically upright thing, when we're under pressure to do the opposite?

Mother Teresa spoke to a US presidential prayer breakfast in 1994. She looked out over a crowd of eminent political leaders and media figures and spoke out boldly against contraception and abortion. She also spoke for the poor.

One reporter present at the time said that by the end of the talk there was almost no-one she hadn't offended. Yet, when she concluded, the group rose as one to give her a lengthy ovation.

What were they applauding? It wasn't her conservative agenda: many of them disagreed with much of what she'd said.

They were affirming her right to hold the strong convictions she expressed. She had earned the right to be heard.

Her generous and selfless responses to all kinds of opposition revealed a strong character which matched her convictions.

In an age where celebrity is often elevated over real achievement, character is still attractive.

The creator and producer of the Star Trek TV shows and movies, Gene Rodenberry, was once asked why he thought his characters were so attractive and meaningful for so many people.

He answered that his characters were willing to lay down their lives for a cause they believed in, and, he added, there's a vacuum of that kind of leadership in our world today.

Influence is also built upon strong relationships - the greater our links with people, the more profound is our influence.

Strong relationships are nourished by encouragement. In a world that often seems intent on robbing people of their will to go on, encouragers literally give people back their courage.

The world at large is looking for leadership which will inspire people and call them boldly forward, even in the face of an uncertain and risky world.

Relationships are also strengthened by a service mentality. Not service as in, 'I'll do this service for you if you pay me for it, in cash or in kind.' No, service that says, 'I'll do what's best for you because I see in you intrinsic value as a fellow human being.'

People still want to trust.

We don't mind being led. But we're looking for leaders who will demonstrate that they're real up close; leaders who are not afraid to make ethically and morally upright choices even when under pressure to do the opposite.

Most of all, we're looking for visionaries who know how to be servants.