It is vital that we, as leaders, surround ourselves with people we can lean on and trust. I call this your trampoline.
While earning my MA in Leadership, I stumbled upon this list of five qualities of people you should trust and thought it was worth mentioning in this week’s blog.
Who in your life will hold you up and support you (like the legs of a trampoline)? These people must be trustworthy.
Who in your life will pick you up and bounce you back to life when you fall? These people must be reliable.
Who in your life will spot you when you are attempting something new and, perhaps, even a little risky? These people must be genuine.
Ideally, we should aim for around three to five people in our lives to help encourage us, motivate us, hold us accountable and appropriately challenge us.
Here is the list of qualities to look for when building your trampoline:
- Understanding – people who seek to understand and empathize – not judge or give advice
- Intent or Motive – people who genuinely care about you and your well being
- Ability – people who have the bandwidth and time to invest in supporting you
- Character – people who have a moral compass and integrity in their own lives
- Track Record – people who have proven to persevere and thrive despite difficulties or setbacks.
