How trust shapes relational space

Early in my journey, I learned a simple yet powerful truth about investor relationships—it’s never just about the numbers. Performance matters, no doubt, but what truly cements long-term partnerships is transparency and trust. I remember a particularly tough quarter when we faced unexpected headwinds. The easy way out would have been to sugarcoat the situation, focus only on the positives, and hope for a better next quarter. Instead, we chose to be upfront—laying out the challenges, the reasons behind them, and most importantly, our plan to navigate through. What surprised me wasn’t just the investors’ understanding but their reinforced confidence in us. That moment reaffirmed that honesty is valued far more than perfection. Trust, on the other hand, isn’t built in a single conversation. It’s earned over time through consistency, ensuring that what we commit to aligns with what we deliver. Whether it’s staying true to our vision, making principled decisions, or keeping open lines of communication, trust is a byproduct of actions, not just words. Beyond balance sheets and presentations, investor relations, at its core, is about people. Behind every investment is an individual backing not just financial projections but a vision and a leadership team. Connecting on a human level—understanding their concerns, engaging in meaningful conversations, and aligning values—goes a long way in building lasting relationships. Today, investor expectations are evolving. It’s no longer just about financial returns; it’s about the larger impact a business creates—be it sustainability, governance, or contributing meaningfully to the ecosystem. Transparency in these areas is becoming as critical as financial disclosures. In many ways, trust and transparency are like the foundation of a building—often unseen, yet holding everything together. They are the reason our investors have stood by us through both successes and challenges. How do trust and transparency shape your relationships, in business or beyond? I’d love to hear your thoughts. #InvestorRelations #Transparency #Trust #Leadership #BusinessGrowth

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

Someone I used to work with called last week. Frustrated. Three years at her company. Great reviews. Promotions on track. Then her boss left. The new one didn't see her potential. She started looking elsewhere. Reached out to her old network. The people she thought would help. But those relationships had gone cold. Not from conflict. Just silence. "I forgot relationships need attention," she said. The strongest networks aren't built during job searches. They're built in the gaps between. Check-ins with no agenda. Messages that just say hi. Showing up because you care. Your network feels it when you only reach out during transitions. But they also feel it when you show up with nothing to gain. When you remember what matters to them. When presence comes before agenda. That's not networking. That's how trust works.

Success Doesn’t Move at the Speed of Scale It moves at the speed of trust. 🤝 When Climate Cardinals began, our team didn’t come with a polished résumé or a list of accolades. We came with conviction—an unshakable belief that language shouldn’t be a barrier to climate education—and a willingness to learn everything we didn’t yet know. We didn’t have institutional backing. There were no major donors. No established infrastructure. Just a $500 budget, a shared Google Classroom, and a group of young people across time zones who believed we could build something that mattered. We reached out to organizations who never replied. So we translated the materials ourselves. We set up review systems, trained volunteers, created workflows—and just kept going. We didn’t wait for permission. ✨ We trusted each other, and we started anyway. Over time, the work began to grow. Our partnerships expanded. Our reach deepened. But that growth didn’t come from prestige or polish. It came from trust. 🌀 Trust that young people—often underestimated—could lead. 🌀 Trust that mission was more important than ego. 🌀 Trust that showing up with care, over and over again, could build something lasting. Some of the most meaningful work I’ve been part of didn’t begin in boardrooms or formal planning sessions. It began in late-night calls, shared notes, voice memos, and spontaneous “What if we tried this?” moments. That’s what I’ve come to think of as relational infrastructure—the invisible scaffolding that holds purpose-driven work together. It’s not flashy and it doesn’t always fit into slides. However, trust and relations are everything.

Focus is the fruit of trust. I see it over and over in strategy sessions, team offsites, and deep-dive coaching conversations. When trust is present, focus always sharpens. Because here’s the reality: - Toxicity creates trauma. - Distrust drains attention. - Skepticism creates second-guessing. - Fear of being misunderstood or misrepresented fragments focus But when trust is the foundation, when people feel safe, respected, and seen, something shifts. Minds quiet. Egos soften. Attention aligns. Teams move from scattered agendas to shared priorities. Leaders shift from guarding to guiding. Conversations get clearer. Decisions get faster. Accountability gets elevated. And yes, focus returns. I continue to see how trust makes all the difference. - In high-stakes executive rooms where trust meant the difference between spinning and solving. - In coaching spaces where one moment of earned trust unlocked months of clarity. - In teams who chose trust over control and reaped not just better outcomes, but deeper focus. If you or your team wants more focus, start with trust. Because trust isn’t just a soft skill. It’s a sharpener. A multiplier. The root from which clarity grows. #TrustProposition #BuildTrust

Trust: A Journey of Discernment and Growth In my recent journey, I've gained profound insights into the essence of trust and its pivotal role in our lives. Trust isn't just a virtue; it's the foundation upon which we build relationships, foster innovation, and create sustainable communities. I've come to realize that it's often harder to trust others than to earn their trust. Over the past three years, I've been working diligently on discerning when to trust and when to hold back. This journey of discernment has been at the forefront of my personal growth, shaping who I am as a human being. It's also vital for adults to recognize that children learn how to trust through their interactions with the adults in their lives. When children are lied to, whether about big or small things, it impacts their mental health and shapes their perception of life and communication. Our actions and words as adults play a significant role in their development and understanding of trust. Moreover, I've learned that we shouldn't have unrealistic expectations of others. Humans, by nature, are fallible and will inevitably disappoint us at some point. Understanding this helps us approach relationships with more compassion and less disappointment, fostering a healthier and more realistic outlook on trust. As we navigate the complexities of our evolving world, with the rise of decentralized currencies and interconnected ecosystems, maintaining trust and open communication becomes more crucial than ever. These advancements promise a future of greater autonomy and collaboration, but they also challenge us to uphold transparency and integrity. In education, business, and beyond, trust is the glue that binds us together. It's what allows us to take risks, embrace new technologies, and work towards a common good. Let's commit to nurturing trust in all our interactions, ensuring that our future is not just interconnected, but also built on a solid foundation of mutual respect and understanding. Together, we can create a world where trust and open communication are not just ideals, but everyday practices. #Trust #Communication #Discernment #Decentralization #Innovation #Sustainability #ChildDevelopment

I’ve seen organizations fuel flawless systems but brittle culture with teams afraid to speak, afraid to stretch, afraid to be real. And I’ve seen teams accept chaotic workflows alongside deep trust leading to a resilient, scrappy, and human culture. Trust is the invisible infrastructure. When pressure hits, it’s not the tech stack that shows up. It’s the trust you’ve built in the messy middle. In this article, I unpack these two very different organizations including what they taught me about culture, systems, and the sacred power of psychological safety. If you lead a team, build a company, or care about doing work that actually lasts… this one’s for you. “Trust grows like roots—you don’t see it until the wind hits.” 👇Read the full piece + share your reflections below. *the cover photo is my youngest modeling trust in an acrobatic exchange. #Leadership #TeamCulture #TrustMatters #PsychologicalSafety #HumanCenteredWork #BuildWithTrust #CultureByDesign #RelationalLeadership

Interpreting is not a neutral stance—it’s a relationship built moment by moment. Across language. Across emotion. Across power. Every glance. Every pause. Every decision you make as an interpreter shapes the relationship unfolding between parties—and within yourself. When we treat interpreting as relational, not just transactional, we shift from accuracy alone to attunement, trust, and care. It’s no longer just “What was said?” It becomes: “How can I preserve the connection in this conversation?” “How am I holding emotional space in this moment?” Emotional intelligence is what guides us. Not away from professionalism—but deeper into presence. Reflection: What kind of relationship are you cultivating when you interpret? https://lnkd.in/g95p5s-B #TheInterpreterSchool #RelationalInterpreting #EmotionalIntelligence #InterpreterPresence #InterpretersOfInstagram #HumanCenteredCommunication #EQforInterpreters https://wix.to/TgtR1EL

🧵 How Do You Measure a Relationship? In neighbourhood health and cross-sector work, we often ask: How do we know it's working? Not just the outputs, but the relational glue that holds it together. I’ve been in projects where a cohesive team just gets stuff done. No fanfare. Just trust, understanding, and movement. It’s something I believe I bring as a neurodivergent dyslexic wired to read people, respond communicatively, and know when to act or step back. But how do we measure that? 📊 Emerging practice across BNSSG suggests: 1)Trust & engagement indices between citizens and services 2)Narrative interviews and storytelling-based reflections 3)Social network mapping to track who connects with whom 4)Developmental evaluation that measures learning, not just outcomes 5)Ethnographic observations of service interactions These aren’t just metrics, they’re lifelines. They surface subconscious bias, adaptive capacity, and the human messiness that makes collaboration real. 🧠 Leadership in Cross-Sector Teams: Top 5 Conditions for Collaboration i) Psychological safety – people must feel safe to speak, challenge, and be vulnerable ii)Shared purpose – not just aligned goals, but co-owned meaning iii)Adaptive space – the “in-between” zone where ideas move from periphery to core iv) Enabling leadership – catalysing conditions, removing barriers, connecting people v)Relational infrastructure – time, tools, and rituals that allow trust to grow This is the work. Messy, human, and deeply creative. If you’re working in neighbourhoods, systems, or cross-sector spaces, how do you measure trust and relational glue? Let’s build the evidence and the story. #AdaptiveSpace #CreativeHealth #NeighbourhoodLeadership #RelationalGlue #ComplexSystems #DYCP #BNSSG #CultureAndCare