Thursday's Thoughts
Thursday’s Thoughts: TRUST Begins With Awareness
“Who we are cannot be separated from where we’re from — and when we ignore that fact, planes crash.”
— Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers
Think about that for a moment.
Then read it again.
What does knowing yourself have to do with TRUST?
More than we may realize.
Each of us enters a room carrying experiences, values, cultural influences, strengths, assumptions, sensitivities—and yes, blind spots.
Self-awareness asks us to become curious about what we bring with us rather than assuming that our way of seeing something is the only way to see it.
Research on leadership continues to connect self-awareness with stronger communication, relationships, decision-making, and leadership effectiveness. (Harvard Business Review)
From a coaching perspective, awareness is not about judging ourselves. It is about noticing ourselves.
So, pause for a moment:
What are two strengths you consistently bring into a room?
What are two areas where you know you still have room to grow?
Now go a little deeper:
What experiences have shaped the way you respond when you feel challenged, dismissed, misunderstood, or uncomfortable?
What assumptions might you be carrying about someone whose background, communication style, or perspective differs from yours?
And perhaps most importantly:
What would become possible if curiosity replaced assumption?
Trust does not require us to have identical experiences or perspectives. It asks us to create enough safety to listen, remain curious, acknowledge differences, and learn from one another.
That matters in coaching. It matters in leadership. And it matters on teams.
The ICF identifies cultivating trust and safety as a core coaching competency—creating relationships where people feel supported, seen, and able to explore openly. (ICF)
Psychological safety matters in organizations as well. APA research found that employees reporting higher psychological safety were considerably more likely to report belonging and feeling comfortable being themselves at work. (American Psychological Association)
A Thursday Challenge:
Before this week ends, start one conversation with the intention of learning rather than proving.
Ask someone on your team:
What is something about your perspective or experience that would help me understand you better?
Then resist the urge to respond immediately.
-Listen.
-Stay curious.
You may discover that one of the most powerful ways to build TRUST is not convincing people that you understand them—it is creating the space for them to help you understand.
As we move deeper into September and toward the fourth quarter, deadlines, uncertainty, and competing priorities, external pressures may test our relationships.
That makes TRUST even more important.
Know yourself... Get curious about others... Create safety... Build TRUST.
TRUST grows when curiosity becomes stronger than assumption.
You got this!
Coach Tavia, PCC, MEd, MAT
References
International Coaching Federation — ICF Core Competencies ICF Core Competencies
Harvard Business Review — What Self-Awareness Really Is (and How to Cultivate It) Read the HBR article
American Psychological Association — Psychological Safety in the Changing Workplace Read the APA report
Center for Creative Leadership — How to Lead a Collaborative Team Read the CCL article
#ThursdayThoughts #Trust #LeadershipDevelopment #SelfAwareness #PsychologicalSafety #ExecutiveCoaching #Leadership #ProfessionalCoaching #EMpowerCoaching
Tavia Robinson
EMPOWER COACHING & CONSULTING, LLC
732.743.5012
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