The Trusted Advisor

is an excellent book by David Maister, Charles Green, and Robert Galford (isbn 978-0-7432-0776-8). As usual I'm going to quote from a few pages:
Trust frees us from the need to spend time on inconsequential projects or tedious procedural issues.
You must be willing to give in order to get.
Creating trust entails taking some personal risks. It is the essence of trust. If you're not a little scared on occasion, then you're not taking a risk. And if you're not taking a risk, you're not likely to create trust.
Trust is personal… "institutional trust" is an oxymoron.
It is not enough for a professional to be right: An advisor's job is to be helpful.
…they are, above all, looking for someone who will provide reassurance, calm their fears, and inspire confidence.
Excellence in advice giving requires not only the right attitude, but also a careful attention to language.
"I was amazed at how many fools I ran into until I noticed the common denominator in all those interactions: me."
Trust = (Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy) / Self Orientation
Reliability in this largely rational sense is the repeated experience of links between promises and action… Reliability in this emotional sense is the repeated experience of expectations fulfilled.
The most common failure in building trust is the lack of intimacy… Greater intimacy means that fewer subjects are barred from discussion.
The purpose of listening in building trust is to earn the right to engage in a mutual exploration of ideas.
Effective trusted advisors are very good listeners.

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