APPLICATION 12
1. Identify a person or situation in which you need to extend trust. For example, hiring a new vendor, giving a new responsibility to a child, putting together a new project team, delegating assignments while you’re on vacation.
2. Assess the situation. Describe what you are trusting the person with (see examples below).
• If hiring a vendor: to build a client-management system according to specs by December.
• If giving responsibility to a child: to clean the bedroom and make the bed every day.
• If putting together a new project team: to work collaboratively to develop an internal communications strategy by the time of the merger.
• If delegating assignments while on vacation: to conduct a follow-up meeting with an important client and secure next year’s subscription.
3. Assess the risk. Describe the visibility and importance of each of the possible outcomes.
4. Assess the credibility of the person involved. What is the level of his or her character and competence?