Trust is the cornerstone of every healthy relationship. Whether it’s our spouses or business partners, trust is the key ingredient in any partnership.
While it’s not always easy to tell if somebody is trustworthy or not, there are certain traits that all trustworthy people have in common.
Once you start paying attention to these qualities, it becomes easier to figure out whether you should trust somebody or not. Here are five traits shared by all trustworthy people.
Honesty
If you’re wondering whether to trust somebody or not ask yourself if this person tells the truth even when it’s uncomfortable. Trustworthy people don’t come up with excuses or stretch the truth just because it’s more convenient for them.
It’s not always easy to tell if somebody is telling the truth, but research shows that there are some signs you should look for when you’re worried you might be dealing with a liar.
When a person is lying to you while retelling an event, they will usually try to tell the story as quickly as possible and without reference to any details. Some liars avoid eye contact at all costs, but there are also plenty of those who will force unbroken eye contact in an attempt to seem more honest. So watch out for staring – it could be a sign of lying.
Self-control
Trustworthy people are usually very good at keeping calm under pressure and controlling their impulses. A person who thinks things through before reacting is a person you can trust.
Studies show that people perceive self-control in others as a sign of trust. Self-control means keeping your emotions in check, controlling your desires, and delaying instant gratification in favor of long-term goals.
People with high self-control are also more likely to be forgiving, which makes them seem more trustworthy in the eyes of others.
Consistency
You’ve heard it a million times: actions speak louder than words. It may be a cliché but it’s also true. To put it simply, where there is no consistency, there can’t be trust.
It’s easy to make a promise but much harder to keep it. Trustworthy people are those who never go back on their word, no matter what.
If you want to know if somebody is trustworthy or not, think of what kind of a track record they have when it comes to keeping promises. Do they call you when they say they’ll call you? Do they honor agreements? Do they respect your time?
If you’ve answered ‘yes’ to these questions, you can rest easy knowing that you’re dealing with a dependable and reliable person. If, on the other hand, this person is all talk and no show, you should probably not put too much trust in them.
Integrity
A strong sense of personal integrity is one of the surest signs a person can be trusted. So what does having integrity actually mean?
A person with integrity will do the right thing even when nobody is watching. They will stand up for their values and convictions without expecting a pat on the back.
Having integrity means practicing what you preach and being honest with yourself. And if a person is honest with themselves, it’s also likely they will be honest with other people.
Empathy
People tend to put more trust into those who show kindness and empathy toward others. A person who is only concerned with their own needs and oblivious to other people’s feelings is not somebody you should trust easily.
An empathetic person is somebody who is able to feel what other people are feeling and who knows how to communicate this in an appropriate way.
Empathetic people exude a sense of reliability and trust because, at the end of the day, we can only trust that somebody will be there for us if we’ve already seen them demonstrate kindness and empathy in action.
Sources:
https://www.inc.com/thomas-koulopoulos/5-sure-ways-to-identify-untrustworthy-people.html
https://www.lifehack.org/607801/how-to-tell-if-someone-is-worth-your-trust
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