I recently read a John Baldoni column “Why Leaders Need People Skills.”  He made a very important statement there about trust:  “Ultimately what shapes attitudes towards a leader is trust.  Can I trust this person to do the right thing by me, my team, and my company?  And a key attribute of trust is respect.  That attribute emerges from observation in the long run. People watch their leaders do what is right, even when it is hard, as well as unpopular, and they develop a sense of respect.”

In a similar vein, Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner, in their book Credibility, note:  When a leader makes promises, people instinctively do a credit check.  The last time this person made such a promise, was he or she being honest about it?"

Are you seen as a person who can be trusted?