It’s easier to destroy trust than to build it. But it’s also easier to re-build trust than to build it in the first place.
From the baseline, trust is built in very small steps over time. You show up consistently, keep to your word, and deliver results? Then you’ll gradually be trusted more by those to whom those things matter. But missing one deadline, breaking one promise, or failing one task can drop your trust dramatically.
It’s not the end of the world, though – in fact, it’s a big opportunity. How you show up and respond when a mistake has been made can be more impactful than a hundred days of putting in the normal work.
When you mess up, ‘fess up. Own the mistake. Communicate it before anyone asks. Take responsibility in excess even of what would be put on you by others. Go radically above and beyond to fix it, and explain what you’re doing. Insulate the future from a repeat of that mistake, and show your work.
If you do all that, you’ll gain more trust than you ever lost. Anyone can be reliable when the chips are up. If you prove that you’re trustworthy when they’re down, people will never doubt you again.
The Opportunity Machine 