Relationships are based on trust.  Trust builds over time.  This is why it’s so important to do things that build trust before onboarding, during your first 100-days, and on an ongoing basis.  This piece, part I of the Trust Trilogy looks at building trust before onboarding.

Get a head start before the start

For almost a decade, we’ve been pushing the advantages of getting a head start before the start and leveraging the Fuzzy Front End between acceptance and day one.  It has been literally game changing for people that have followed the advice on this in The New Leader’s 100-Day Action Plan.  The context of your conversations is different before day one than it is after day one. 

Before day one, you represent hope.

You haven’t done anything wrong.  You haven’t offended anyone yet.  You are the possibility of a brighter future.  The people that you reach out to will give you the benefit of a doubt and look for reasons to trust you.

After day one, you’re real. 

You’re an employee, a boss, a peer.  You’re probably after something.  You may have a hidden agenda.  You can make an impact on others’ work and lives.  The people you talk to will be on their guard and look for reasons not to trust you.

Start relationships with a bias for trust.

This is why it makes so much sense to start building relationships with the most important people before day one, when they’re still looking for reasons to trust you.