By Leslie Grossman, Chair, Vistage InternationalWe are stuck in the middle of no man or woman’s land with about two months before one of the most important elections of this century. The biggest question every American should be asking themself is “who do you trust?” or “who do you trust more?”The truth is that we are faced with asking the question, “who do you trust? ” on a daily basis. We ask it at work. We ask it in our community. We ask it about members of our family.  At work do you trust your employees when they tell you why something didn’t get finished? Do you trust your new boss when they say you’ll be happy in the new position you didn’t want? Do you trust peers, vendors, consultants, your team, your Congressperson, friends, family and the many people that make promises and commitments? What’s your personal experience? How often are you disappointed? How often do people actually come through? Sometimes people tell us that we shouldn’t trust someone. Should we believe them?How do YOU decide who you should trust? Here’s five suggestions.

1. Don’t trust everyone you meet. Trust takes time.
2. What’s the person’s track record? How have they treated people in the past?  What are their motives? Is it money or ego? Do they have a proven track record of delivering to the organization they serve? If they have delivered results and have done what they said they would do in the past, there’s a good chance they will deliver positive results in the future.
3. Don’t bank on hearsay. If others bad-mouth a person you trust, consider that the criticism could be due to jealousy, fear or competitiveness.
4. Are their values consistent with your values? What’s important to you? Values like: caring. growth. compassion. professionalism. treating people with respect. honesty. humble confidence. team-oriented. striving for improvement. consistency. Trust comes with shared values.
5. Are you obsessed with perfectionism? When we demand perfection, we trust no one. No one is perfect, including you and me. Leaders must sometimes take risks and with risks come a few failures.

At work with our bosses, colleagues, and direct reports; in life with our husbands, wives, friends, and family; and in politics with candidates running for office, we are constantly faced with deciding who to trust.Trust is precious. Trust can be lost. Trust can be reborn. At work and home: question, listen and talk. Give trust a chance. In politics: read, listen, question and talk. Give trust a chance.  Don’t abandon the right our forefathers fought to give each of us. Trust yourself to make the right decision. Vote for the person whom you trust most with your future and the future of those you love.[author]About the Author:  Leslie Grossman, author of “LINK OUT: How to Turn Your Network into a Chain of Lasting Connections” (Wiley), is a Vistage International Chair in New York City.  She was CEO of Communications/Marketing Action and Women’s Leadership Exchange and is a leadership and business development strategist, speaker and coach at Leslie Grossman Leadership.   Leslie can be reached at leslie@lesliegrossmanleadership.com. [/author]