Build a Better Relationship with Your Business

In my last post, we discussed some pretty meaty topics: reactive work, reflective work, and fear-based activity. In order to build a better relationship with your business, we have to talk about a key component of any relationship: TRUST.

Therefore, I had to first talk to you about fear. Because you can’t fear and trust at the same time. You can’t do anything (love, support, care, consider, etc.) and fear at the same time.

For years, I’ve been asking throughout my writings: 

Do you trust your business to provide? 

What a loaded question that is! I Googled, “How to have more trust in your business,” and it came back with over 2B results—but these articles were geared toward building consumer trust in your brand.

That’s not what I mean here.

In fact, in my research, I found relational trust-building advice, exercises and resources much more valuable than anything related to business. Because, what I mean is …

How do you cultivate a deep trust in your business—that you’ll not only serve it, but that it will serve you back, faithfully over time? I know you’re dedicated.

But, can you trust in the business you built to hold steady, support you, and provide for you? How can you build a better, more trusting, more loving relationship with your business?

Let’s Talk About Trust

Trust is one of the most complex emotions human experience. It’s defined as the: “firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.”

In relationships, we offer our undying and unwavering trust to people we love and believe in the most. We trust the ones we love with our real selves, our true feelings, our openness and vulnerability. It’s sacred. We deeply believe in their reliability, truth, ability, and strength.

In business and external transactions, we give trust away a bit more freely because we have a whole lot less riding on those interactions. For example, I trust Apple because I believe in the reliability of my iPhone. I agree to something the business is offering because I believe they have the ability to deliver it.

Now, having provided those two different examples of trust (relational and business): Which feels more like the trust you have (or need) with your business?

  • Does it feel easy and transactional? (If so, you are so fortunate. Teach me more!)
  • Or, does it feel open, vulnerable, sacred, and personal? (Ding-ding-ding! That sounds much more familiar!)

The first bullet is solid: “We deliver what we promise, and we do so on time.” That’s all well and good, but I think they’re getting off easy!

If you’re anything like all of the creatives I know, that second bullet point is hitting home.

Our business promise looks more like this …
“I’ll do my very best to deliver my heart, soul, and creative expression on a platter and serve you so good you’ll be hungry for seconds. I promise to always give you twice as much as you’re expecting as fast as humanly possible because I know you needed this yesterday!”

There’s no escaping it; this business is personal. When your name and personal identity is directly tied to the story, illustration, photo, artwork, program, product, and/or book, the business is attached to a very authentic version of you. In one form or another, your work becomes a vulnerable expression of your creativity.

How could that not be personal?

Relational Trust Building

When I think of the people I trust most in the world, my husband and children instantly spring to mind.

I’d like to share just a few of the reasons I feel so much trust with them:

  • If I make a mistake, they not only forgive me, they make me feel better about it. They never hold anything against me.
  • If I want to take a chance—a risk big or small, they actively listen to my idea and their support comes immediately! I think they back my decisions too fast!!
  • If I’m struggling with an aspect of myself or an area of our relationship, my family is willing to have the hard conversations needed in order to clear the air.
  • My family upholds our commitment to clean relational energy, and we openly and regularly reaffirm our agreement to honor our sacred connection to one another.
  • When I make decisions, they have unwavering confidence in me and my judgement. They’re always willing to follow my lead. In fact, they follow me even when I don’t know where I’m going (in restaurants, stores, cities, etc.)—LOL. It’s prompted a family joke that “I always know where I’m going!” when I stop walking and 3-4 people run into me from behind.

I’ve told you about my careful annual planning this year, and how I’m spending time tilling the soil of my business before planting any major seeds.

Trust is a necessary nutrient that must be mixed into the soil.

If I look at the above bullets that cultivate trust, I need to ask myself if I’m willing to have a similar give-and-take with my business.

  • Do I feel free and safe to make mistakes?
  • Do I feel free and safe to take calculated risks?
  • Do I feel a clean, open, and reaffirming energy with my business?
  • Am I willing to face the difficult decisions and have the hard conversations?
  • Am I confident that my business operates on sound judgement?

What about you? What are some characteristics of the most trusting relationships in your life? And, can you say the same in regards to the relationship you have with your business?

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