2.20.22

We all long to be trusted. I think our hearts are hard wired to crave a certain level of control and for someone to tell us they trust us to get the job done. It’s empowering! I also believe we long for clarity. To do a great job executing a new assignment, we need clarity on the expectations or specific desires for the end result. And we long to please those whom we serve – it’s in our nature.

The tricky part is we can’t have both, or can’t expect both – one seems to always compromise the other. If trust already exists, clarity may not be provided right away. This means the responsibility is on you to seek out any further clarity required to be successful executing the task. If the foundation of trust doesn’t exist yet, substantial clarity will most likely be provided – and yes, sometimes it’s more clarity than we feel like we need (at least my prideful heart often feels that way). If this is the case, don’t take it personally, you just have to perform at a level which earns you the right to be trusted.

Throughout my experiences, both as a coach and a player, I’ve certainly been on both ends of the trust and clarity spectrum. Having a better understanding of the spectrum, and knowing the relationship between the two, will hopefully help me navigate future moments more effectively. I hope it does the same for you.