Building Availability Through Trust

Even when we see people’s worth, being available isn’t (and shouldn’t be) a blank check. Valuing someone is wildly different than providing them with unlimited time at the drop of a hat. Whether it was Terry, Chris, or any other mentor who’s been a blessing in my life over the years, getting time from them once didn’t equate to a never-ending open door. Just like the example I provided earlier showing how John Maxwell earned ongoing mentorship from John Wooden, it was up to me to earn trust with my mentors. I did that by respecting their time and doing everything in my power to put anything they shared with me into practice.

Don’t misunderstand me here, I’m not suggesting that someone is worth less just because they don’t take action on what a mentor suggests. Nor am I making a case that they’re responsible for blindly accepting everything that’s suggested to them and running with it. Personal responsibility is something that gets far too little attention today. Whether we’re the one receiving suggestions from a mentor or we’re the mentor providing guidance, we hold complete responsibility for where we invest our time and the actions we take in that time.

With that in mind, consider a scenario where you juggled things around on your calendar so you could be available for someone, you listened intently to what they were dealing with, and you offered input based on your experience, only to see them continue down the exact path they were already on. Now contrast that with the one who fought through every barrier they faced in taking action on your guidance, even if they didn’t achieve the exact result either of you were hoping for. Which of those earned more trust?

Before moving on, I’ll share it once more for emphasis: I’m not suggesting that this trust should impact how we value the individual. But it will definitely play a role in how available we are to each of them moving forward - if we place any value whatsoever on our own time… Now let’s put the shoe on the other foot.

As I was about halfway through writing the manuscript for What’s KILLING Your Profitability?, I asked for a few minutes with the Chief Operating Officer of a large printing company we had done a good bit of work for. I had three specific questions; two were tied to the publishing and printing process, and the third was a direct favor. His company owned several widely recognized publishers and was one of the largest book printers in the world. Those first two questions were specific to how I can do business with them since they had trusted us to develop so many of the leaders in their facilities. While he appreciated me asking, he shared what the publishing and printing process looked for them as an organization, and offered suggestions on how I should approach both with that being my first book. He was very willing to help, but shared that his help wouldn’t serve my best interests at that point. My third question, the favor, was whether he’d be open to writing an introduction to the book since the content tied directly to the services we had provided for his teams at several locations across the United States. He agreed immediately.

I’ll spare you the details, but I took action on each suggestion he made and I learned far more than I ever planned to about self-publishing and the printing process. By the time I presented him with the first physical author copy of the book, it had already become an Amazon #1 best-seller while still on pre-sale. That would have never happened without his input. Each time I’ve asked him for a few minutes since, he’s made it happen. One of our most recent conversations circled back on the publishing process. With a few more Amazon #1 best-sellers under my belt, I felt ready to approach a traditional publisher. Again, he made suggestions that weren’t exactly what I hoped to hear. I still took action. Although he hasn’t said so directly, I’m confident that deepened the trust he has in me; I know seeing those I’ve mentored take action on difficult tasks builds the trust I have in them.

Regardless of where we are in the mentoring relationship, trust establishes opportunities for increased availability. Through that increased availability, we gain exponentially more exposure to the diverse contributions of even more leaders. Before we look at how to make the most of that, I’ll challenge you to think about the mentors who have been the most available to you. Then list those who have earned your trust and determine whether you’ve been as available to them as you should be.