When you strip away all the nice words written about trust, the whole thing boils down to one very personal judgement: predictability.

Does someone do what you expect them to do?

From maintaining confidentiality to delivered on time, we all have expectations of others, but how do they measure up?

And, others have expectations of you too.

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Quick as you can, make a list of all the individuals who have a big influence on your life.

Split your list into those who have a big influence on your professional life, your personal life, or on both.

Next to each, make some notes about what influence these people have on you.

Reflect on:

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How do you trust others?

Are you like Luke, who will trust someone until it is proven that he can’t.

Or, are you more like Isabel, who holds back her trust until she is absolutely certain.

Readiness to trust is a continuum and your preferred position will impact how you are perceived and trusted when you meet someone.

It will affect their readiness to trust you. Read More

Why are you so gullible?

I don’t wish to be rude.

You may choose to take it that way, but that’s up to you.

Today it seems like the majority of people are far too gullible, and that poses a problem.

Even the term “fake news” is likely to be sleight-of-hand. Almost all data is presented to suit the agenda.

Why do they do all of this? Read More

When it comes to influence, if you do not know what's on the other person's mind, you are shooting in the dark. You cannot do anything other than take aim – and fire into the darkness of their hidden agenda, issues and priorities. This is wasteful and stupid. Read More

There are many reasons why you may well struggle to handle the politics, though these three are hard to beat.

Top of my list, your attitude to workplace politics.

If you hate it you will shy away from it and fail to learn how to do it properly. Read More

These days – it seems – there is always a hidden agenda.

While the ethics of influence advocate presenting balanced influence attempts to aid decision-making, the practice of influence seems to ignore the eighth principle of persuasion.

Thus, whenever you are inclined to be influenced by someone, pause and check what they may be hiding from you. Read More

Weighed down by current events? Depressed by pandemics? Angry at people who break/obey the rules?

You choose to be that way.

And, you can easily choose to change this.

Times may be tough, you may have lost your job, or you may be overwhelmed with the crisis. 

But, that doesn’t mean you need to allow that to depress your spirit. Read More

What is work?

“An activity I get paid to do.”

“Something I do that adds value.”

Two worldviews that invoke wildly different experiences of life. Read More

If you’ve been passed over for promotion, I can think of three good reasons why.

Firstly, you have not proved you are good enough.

Even if you are good enough, you still have to prove it.

Second possible cause, someone else proves themselves to be better. Read More