Century Park Blog

As we approach the gift of another year, many have their lists of resolutions to eat healthy, exercise, be present with those they love, etc. All these are personal goals. But as we approach this year, dare we script on a piece of paper a goal of being trusted? David Horsager, in his book "The Trust Edge," states that while trust may appear static, "trust is more like a forest — a long time growing, but easily burned."

In senior living we are gifted by the choices of our consumers who don't choose our communities just because they are the most beautiful; our consumers are making choices based on whether they can trust the sales counselor during the initial meeting and the executive director who signs an agreement with them — and then continue to trust each caregiver, housekeeper, maintenance worker, lifestyle and dining team member to grow that bond of trust every day. That is the ultimate task we have in our communities, to continue to earn that trust.

In the same manner, our associates are making choices every day on whether they can trust the organization they choose to bless with their invaluable contributions. Work takes sacrifice, and while extrinsic rewards do matter, associates want to know that they can trust that their leader/supervisor is someone they can depend on to advocate on their behalf. When it comes down to it, can their leader make decisions with their welfare in mind?

When I was a brand-new executive director, I naturally made many mistakes. Some of the mistakes were out of pure immaturity because I was a young 24-year-old trying to learn the industry and trying to understand people, but also learning about myself. Family members and employees at times would complain about me, and I never felt like I was winning.

One day, a leader with more oversight and credibility was taking a tour of my community with me when an upset family member came up to him and began to complain. He patiently listened to her, and then he asked her, "Have you told the leader of this community your concerns? Because I trust her," he replied, "and if she cannot solve it, I don't believe anyone else can."

In that moment, I felt like there was someone who believed in me. I was not perfect, but I was worthy of trust. That moment will always be a moment in my career that I will never forget. It's the day I learned that trust is given, and mistrust is earned. After that experience, I worked harder than I ever had before, knowing that even though I would made mistakes, I had the trust of my leader.

Our employees make a choice each day to steward their duties with care. Every day each team member who is invited into a resident's home in our communities is trusted not only with their possessions, but also with their heart. Family members put their trust in our communities knowing that we are not perfect but recognizing that we are trustworthy. They trust us to care for and love their family.

Trust may take a long time to develop. It requires carefully planting a seed and then watering and caring for that gift of trust. However, we must understand that the trust we spend months or years to cultivate can be lost in a second. So, is it a futile cause to seek someone's trust? I don't believe so, for even when mistrust is merited, it creates an opportunity to forgive and to plant new seeds that may someday become a legacy which outlasts its sower.