Our conversation turned to the issue of trust. We had been talking about why my friend was struggling in his current ministry. Things had been going well for a while, and then, out of no where, people seemed to slow down. It wasn’t that they weren’t serving the Lord. It was more like they had lost their enthusiasm for ministry.
As we talked, I heard myself ask, “Do people trust you and your leadership?” There was no meanness or accusation in the question. It just seemed natural as we talked. We broke down the word into the following 5 key areas. I am sure there are more, but here’s our list …
T – Transparency: Do I allow people to get close to me – in all types of situations? When they are there, do I put on a show for their benefit, or am I real?
R – Responsibility: Am I holding up my load? Do I delegate things that only I should be doing? Do people see me as someone they can count on?
U – Unselfishness: When people think about it, do they feel like they are working for ME or do they see we are all sacrificing to accomplish God’s will here? Do I purposely put others first whenever possible?
S – Sacrifice: What have I given up as a leader? What attitude(s) do I reflect when I give up something of value? Who do I give things to? Does God have to pry things from my heart and hands?
T – Tenacity: Do I go the extra mile? Am I persistent? Is my reputation one that says, ‘He doesn’t quit!’?
Over the course of our conversation my friend realized that he had some work to do to regain some trust he had lost. He had to go to a few people and ask forgiveness. To another he decided to make himself accountable in some areas.
Trust is the glue that holds teams together. A periodic check up with a trusted friend can go along way in sticking together!
