Tiffany Talks: "TRUST: Not As Easy As It Once Was"

In a world that often feels upside down, it’s getting harder to know who - or what - to trust.

The food pyramid? Flipped.

Authorities? Questioned.

Vaccines? Debated.

Journalism? What's that?

Climate Change? "Won't lead to humanity's demise" [What a relief, Bill Gates}

Even choosing your own seat on Southwest is no longer the reliable chaos we once counted on.

Let’s be honest...trust has taken a beating. Over the past few years, we’ve faced uncertainty in nearly every corner of life. And the workplace hasn’t been spared.

Work from home, return to office, hybrid, layoffs, reorgs, retirements, bots, GPT, AI filters—it’s starting to sound like the remix of Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire.” Change is expected; what’s new is the seismic shift due to the pace of change.

But today I want to talk about the other side of trust.

I want to talk about trusting - not being trusted. Most of us work hard to earn trust. We value our reputation, we show up, we follow through. But trusting others? That’s where things get messy.

We all have an internal “trustometer.” In the beginning, it’s set high. Then life happens - disappointments, betrayals, surprises - and our circle of dependability shrinks. And we've had more than our fair share for the past 5 years leading to a smaller circle of who we trust and lowering our propensity to even consider trusting others.

Enter your alter-ego: the cynic, the skeptic, the constant searcher for “what’s real.”

At some point, self-protection turns into self-limitation. When we stop trusting altogether, we stop connecting, collaborating, and creating anything bigger than ourselves.

The truth is, trust is risky—but so is isolation.

If you lead people, isolation isn’t an option. Your team’s “trustometer” is watching you. They feel your hesitation—Are they working when I can’t see them? They sense when you don’t believe the return-to-office mandate you’re enforcing.

Think differently. Remember: everyone’s uncertain, but not everyone deserves the broad brush of skepticism. The leaders, teams, and relationships that thrive assume positive intent - wisely.

Ask: How can I trust wisely - and still choose to trust? Rebuilding trust in the world starts with rebuilding it in ourselves. In a world short on trust, the most radical move is to give it first - carefully, consciously, fully.

Tiffany Talks is a weekly blog, video, or experience generated without AI...because I have my hyphens and I know how to use them!

Find me at www.onupgrowth.com