Strategies for Treasurers to Build Trust and Credibility

Trust doesn't come from your accomplishments. It comes from quiet moves like these: For years I thought I needed more experience, achievements, and wins to earn trust. But real trust isn't built through credentials. It's earned in small moments, consistent choices, and subtle behaviors that others notice - even when you think they don't. Here are 15 quiet moves that instantly build trust 👇🏼 1. You close open loops, catching details others miss ↳ Send 3-bullet wrap-ups after meetings. Reliability builds. 2. You name tension before it gets worse ↳ Name what you sense: "The energy feels different today" 3. You speak softly in tense moments ↳ Lower your tone slightly when making key points. Watch others lean in. 4. You stay calm when others panic, leading with stillness ↳ Take three slow breaths before responding. Let your calm spread. 5. You make space for quiet voices ↳ Ask "What perspective haven't we heard yet?", then wait. 6. You remember and reference what others share ↳ Keep a Key Details note for each relationship in your phone. 7. You replace "but" with "and" to keep doors open ↳ Practice "I hear you, and here's what's possible" 8. You show up early with presence and intention ↳ Close laptop, turn phone face down 2 minutes before others arrive. 9. You speak up for absent team members ↳ Start with "X made an important point about this last week" 10. You turn complaints into possibility ↳ Replace "That won't work" with "Let's experiment with..." 11. You build in space for what really matters ↳ Block 10 min buffers between meetings. Others will follow. 12. You keep small promises to build trust bit by bit ↳ Keep a "promises made" note in your phone. Track follow-through. 13. You protect everyone's time, not just your own ↳ End every meeting 5 minutes early. Set the standard. 14. You ask questions before jumping to fixes ↳ Lead with "What have you tried so far?" before suggesting solutions. 15. You share credit for wins and own responsibility for misses ↳ Use "we" for successes, "I" for challenges. Watch trust grow. Your presence speaks louder than your resume. Trust is earned in these quiet moments. Which move will you practice first? Share below 👇🏼 -- ♻️ Repost to help your network build authentic trust without the struggle 🔔 Follow me Dr. Carolyn Frost for more strategies on leading with quiet impact

As we add a $49.1M asset to our portfolio with Grove Parkview, I'm thinking about the critical factor that made it possible: Credibility. Not the kind that comes from fancy websites or impressive titles. The kind that's built through consistent, intentional actions. I've observed something interesting about capital raising: There's a Credibility Gap between what sponsors promise and what investors believe. And the size of that gap determines your capital raising success. Most sponsors try to bridge this gap with: - Slick marketing materials or - Charismatic presentations But the most effective credibility builders are: → Systematic, valuable communication → Transparent handling of challenges → Consistent delivery on commitments → Genuine relationship building before asking For Grove Parkview, we had to navigate multiple delays and challenges. But our investor communications were: - Proactive rather than reactive - Specific rather than vague - Solutions-focused rather than problem-oriented This approach didn't just help us close the deal. It narrowed the Credibility Gap for future opportunities. Now our investors are on track for distributions from an acquisition that tested our credibility at every turn. The sponsors who raise capital most effectively aren't necessarily the ones with the best deals. They're the ones with the smallest Credibility Gap. What specific actions have you found most effective in building genuine credibility?

George Shultz famously said, Trust is the coin of the realm!  “When trust was in the room, whatever room that was—the family room, the schoolroom, the coach’s room, the military room – good things happened. When trust was not in the room good things did not happen. Everything else is details.“   In a service business Trust is truly important. It makes all the difference – in getting work, and how the solution one proposes is heard, and how a someone gets convinced about a course of action.    So how does one build trust? David Maister had famously offered the trust equation. Trust = Credibility + reliability + intimacy/ self orientation (or in my mind self interest). This equation helped demonstrate trustworthiness.   Credibility is the reputation one has when someone has been in the business. Starting out fresh it requires one to prepare to meet people by trying to know who they are and getting them to talk about what they want to talk about and listen and engage. When one asks good questions after listening and explores, the other person feels respected. Then people start to feel the person meeting them is interested and smart. Over time one builds a reputation and with it credibility. Credibility builds over time and numerous meetings and so in the early meetings the only purpose must be, to get the next meeting and thus develop a relationship.   Reliability is demonstrated by doing what one says. Small or big. I will call you at 9 am, you must. Or I will send you a book, you must. Till the other person notices. Then they start to believe you are reliable.   Intimacy happens by creating warm and safe spaces for people to share thoughts and vulnerabilities. After some meetings when you ask a person out for a meal and then do so more often they start to share. Intimacy builds.   What detracts from trust is self interest. People understand everyone has an interest but if they believe you are only about your own interest and don't deeply care for them. Trust erodes.  Remember George Shultz's words "trust is truly the coin of the realm"