"Humanity will do the right thing once they know what's going on."- Rob Stewart
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."- Margaret Mead
These two quotes have one thing in common – they both refer to trust; that fragile thing that takes a long time to build**,** but only a moment to tear down. Whether it's trust in the good in humanity or trust in oneself and the realization of the importance of the individual as part of the whole.
The award for the most important building block of the company goes to…
Trust is the cornerstone of interpersonal relationships, the functioning of society and success in the workplace. Its value often remains undervalued, even though we cannot do without it. We understand it as the willingness to rely on each other, whether in interpersonal relationships, in relation to society and institutions, or in terms of personal trust and perception of the world. It is the ability to accept a certain level of uncertainty and risk that the other party will live up to their commitments, values or promises.
They say that if the bees disappear from the world, humanity will become extinct. What would happen if trust disappeared from the world?
Without trust, not even a blow. Literally.
Let's fantasize a little. But really, just a little, because all of the following scenarios could be realistic to some extent. Without exaggeration, we would face fundamental problems that would permeate all aspects of our lives.
It would have an impact on interpersonal relationships. Trust is essential to any relationship, and without it we would lack the expectation of honesty and support from others. We would become withdrawn, isolated, and unable to collaborate or function effectively. Our relationships would fall apart.
There could be economic paralysis. It sounds almost impossible, doesn't it? But even such seemingly unrelated consequences could be caused by the disappearance of trust. The entire monetary system and economy are based on trust - between business partners, customers and companies, or trust in financial institutions. Without it, investment would drop drastically, which could lead to market collapse and economic chaos.
It would threaten institutional crisis. Public institutions (such as governments, courts or the media) depend on the trust of us, the citizens. If we completely lost trust in them, it could lead to civil unrest, increased influence of populism and the spread of disinformation. We would be more vulnerable to manipulation, the floodgates for the spread of conspiracy theories would open and there would be polarization of societyThis could slow down innovation and jeopardize progress in key areas (like healthcare or climate change) and further divide society. Sound familiar?
Trust is the foundation of our faith in humanity and the meaning of our existence. Without it, we would lose our sense of belonging and security. With the loss of trust, we would simply They have lost hope and social sense..
A world without trust sounds almost apocalyptic in these extreme examples. But rather than a reason to panic, take it as a tool to realize why trust is an important part of society. And also as a warning. In our time, we are experiencing a kind of crisis of trust; according to research Trust in scientific institutions, government and the media is declining. However, there are also initiatives aimed at restoring it (for example, transparency and public dialogue) that are bringing positive changes to this development.
Trust as a powerful engine of growth
Trust is not just a “feeling,” it is also a strategic tool that enables individuals, teams, and organizations to grow and multiply their positive impact on society and the economy. Innovation and growth require the courage to take risks and experiment, and trust creates an environment where we are not afraid of failure.
It starts with the individual. Self-confidence It gives a person the courage to overcome obstacles, accept new challenges and take risks. When we believe in our abilities, we are better able to learn new skills and push our limits. In communities, interpersonal trust promotes cohesion, engagement and cooperation. When we trust the people around us, we are more willing to engage in projects and initiatives that have a positive impact on the entire community.
The same principle applies in companies, teams, and organizations. A culture of trust encourages open communication, knowledge sharing, and a willingness to collaborate. Trust creates safety. When we feel safe, we are more likely to share our ideas and concerns, which leads to greater innovation and better results. According to Francis Fukuyama It also leads to higher productivity (we spend less time defending ourselves against potential conflicts) and faster decision-making (when we trust ourselves, we minimize the need for complex control mechanisms and speed up processes).
Trust is one of the most powerful tools for growth because it reduces uncertainty. Without it, commitment quickly fades. Working to develop it means opening doors to new opportunities and contributing to sustainable growth for individuals and society as a whole.
How to build trust?
Trust is not a given, it does not appear by itself. It is a process that requires time and active effort. It is not unconditional, it is built gradually based on repeated positive experiences and the correct behavior of the other party. It is associated with the expectation of the fulfillment of certain obligations or values.
Key principles:
- Authenticity and transparency: We tend to trust those who are honest and communicate openly.
- Consistency: When my words match my actions and I'm not inconsistent in my values and behavior, it builds trust.
- Empathy and support: Relationships based on mutual understanding and support are deeper.
At the same time, trust should not be completely uncritical; blindly trusting someone can lead to manipulation, abuse, and bad decisions. It is therefore entirely appropriate to include a certain degree of criticism, verification, and reflection in trust.
According to trust experts such as Stephen M.R. Covey, trust is built “from the inside out.” If you are authentic, trustworthy, and consistent in your values and behaviors, you will naturally radiate that same confidence to those around you. Simply put, before you can spread trust and inspire others, you must have your own inner confidence and integrity, and be trustworthy to yourself.
Trust and kindness at Impact Hub
Trust is one of our core corporate values (trust – courage – cooperation). If you wanted to argue that a company's values written on paper don't mean that the company actually lives them, you'd be right. And it's a daily struggle, even for us.
But Impact Hub doesn't have that first word in its name by chance. It refers to the fact that everything we do can and should have a positive impact on the world around us. A naive idea for some, for us the central motif of our work. We are united by faith and trust in a better world. We have built our entire recruitment process on this and we remind each other of it on a daily basis, for example by trying to cultivate a culture of open, immediate feedback. As a result, we are not afraid to say that Impact Hub changes the lives of the people who work for it or in it. We see it every day.
Trust for us means believing that each of us is doing the best we can and that we are acting with the best of intentions. It is a kind of magic formula that we repeat to ourselves when we have doubts about something or someone and something does not seem right to us. It is an assumption based on which we evaluate the situations around us.
But be careful… it is definitely not unconditional. We repeat it only until we have the opportunity to question the situation and verify it. It prevents us from making assumptions. It is our brake on hasty judgment. And it allows us to be kind. We do not cultivate blind trust. We support each other in being critical and challenging each other. This does not mean that we do not enter into conflicts. We do not pretend that we can function without them; we even think that conflict is not always bad. On the contrary, when it is resolved nonviolently, with radical openness – with the aim of helping and with a sincere interest in the other – it can be transformative. Open communication and feedback give us opportunities to improve.
In all Impact Hubs, trust is also reflected in seemingly “little things.” For example, in each of our spaces you will find a bar that is self-service, and we trust that everyone will pay for their consumption as they should (we are not always at zero – we call that the “price of trust,” but more on that another time).
Trust is not just an emotion, but also a strategic tool for building relationships, businesses, and stable societies. Whether we cultivate it on a personal or institutional level, its presence is irreplaceable and its absence is catastrophic. Working to build trust means investing in a better future – for individuals and society as a whole. Be with us.
Are you curious about what it also means for us at Impact Hub? Courage, Sustainability, Cooperation, Responsibility or not to create assumptions?
