Chapter 20 - Why Should I Trust You?
The author mentions Presidential elections as a competition for the trust of the American voter: the candidate perceived as being the most trustworthy will win out over an opponent who seems superior to him in every other regard. Some random bits on the topic follow:
- Trust is largely built on experience. People trust others to behave more or less the way they have in the past, rather than the way they promise to behave in the future.
- People trust someone who seems accessible and familiar. The more a person is known, the more trust they will be extended.
- Need outweighs trust. The more desperate someone wants or needs something, the more they are willing to overcome their reluctance to trust in others.
- Doubt is always stronger than trust. There may be a dozen good reasons you should consider a person to be trustworthy, but one reason to distrust in them can overwhelm them all.
- Trust is not irrevocable. Even when someone is trusted at first, the actions that follow can undermine the trust that was initially given.
The author writes a fictional dialogue between a seller offering janitorial services and a manager whose shop contains sensitive equipment that can be easily damaged by fumes. When the customer voices concerns, the salesman simply brushes him off with "I'm sure we can handle it. Trust me." The problem is that trust isn't earned merely by asking for it.
The second version of the same conversation involves the salesman asking for more information about the concerns, and speaking to them with examples of his company's experience in similar situations, and showing an interest in discussing the matter in more detail.