FEATURESTORY You gain trust when you are transparent about your source of information. is to make the effort to understand your audience's level of comfort with change. Be sure that what you're proposing is familiar enough that they feel safe, and yet new enough that they recognize the need to do something differently. 3. Be Believable Don't underestimate the importance of your own credibility to the audience. How likely are they to trust you? Are you considered an authority on the subject? Do listeners believe that you are "on the same page" or are your interests conflicting? To gain their trust, it's vital that you find and address the common ground you share with your listeners. Remind them 42 about common experiences and goals you share. Show them you understand their point of view by addressing their questions and concerns. Also, you gain trust when you are transparent about the source of information you provide. It's easy to fall into the habit of misrepresenting your own opinions or conclusions as facts. It's so commonly done that there's an acronym for this practice: MSU (making stuff up). While it may be effective, misleading people is unlikely to make them trust you. 4. Collaborate and Listen ere's a good reason why collaboration has FOCUS | Winter 2017 | www.L-TEN.orghttp://www.L-TEN.org