Compassion Improves Trust

Cathie Leimbach • August 9, 2022

“People put faith in those who care beyond themselves,” says David Horsager. “And feeling cared for increases trust.”

Compassion can be defined as “concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others” or “a kind friendly presence in the face of what’s difficult”. Compassion is having patience and giving support to others who are experiencing tough circumstances or situations. 

How considerate and understanding are we when those around us aren’t perfect? When they hurt or disappoint us? When they experience a setback or difficulty in their life? We appreciate when others don’t add to our troubles when we are already down. How much grace do we show others when the tables are turned? 

Compassion enables us to understand ourselves better and others better, and the more we understand others the more we will want to relieve their suffering. Here are a few ways we can develop the ability to see things from someone else's perspective and offer them support.

  • Ask them open-ended questions to understand their challenges and how they are feeling? It can be as simple as, “You seem down today. How can I help you?”
  • Practice active listening. This includes listening to what they are telling you without interrupting, making eye contact, asking questions to increase your understanding, and repeating back to them what you think you heard to check if you are hearing their message.
  • Offer to help them, even in a small way. Take them a meal, drive them to an appointment, clean their house, or give their child a ride to soccer practice.

We appreciate others who don’t make our difficult circumstances more difficult. When others’ help us handle the trials of life, it builds our trust in them. What do we to show compassion to others, to help reduce or overcome their difficult circumstances? Practicing compassion is an important factor in being a person worthy of trust. 

The Self-Discipline of a Growth Mindset

By Cathie Leimbach • April 15, 2025
A growth mindset means believing you can get smarter and develop new skills through hard work and practice. People with a growth mindset see challenges as opportunities to grow. On the other hand, a fixed mindset means thinking your talents and abilities cannot change much, no matter how hard you try. People with a growth mindset are more likely to exercise self-discipline to learn new behaviors. This helps us adapt to new opportunities. When we push ourselves to try different approaches, we open doors that would otherwise remain closed. This takes courage and commitment, especially at first when new ways of doing things feel uncomfortable or difficult. Our brains have amazing potential to change throughout our lives. When we repeatedly practice new skills or ways of thinking, our brain creates new pathways that make these actions easier over time. What once felt impossible can gradually become second nature.  The hard part is sticking with new behaviors long enough for them to become normal. This is where self-discipline comes in . By consistently practicing different approaches, what once required enormous effort eventually feels natural. This ability to adapt keeps us growing, helps us keep up with our changing world, and unlocks possibilities we might never have imagined.

Why Master Open-Ended Questions

By Cathie Leimbach • April 8, 2025
In today's busy workplace, asking good questions can make you better at your job. Open-ended questions—ones that need more than just "yes" or "no" answers—help you learn more and have better conversations with others. Research shows these questions really work. Gallup found that managers who use open-ended questions have 27% less employee turnover and 18% better productivity. These questions make team members feel safe to share their ideas. Harvard Business Review says that when bosses ask at least four open-ended questions in meetings, teams come up with 42% more creative solutions. By asking instead of telling, leaders get more ideas from everyone. McKinsey discovered that managers who are good at asking open-ended questions find 34% more opportunities for process improvement. These questions help spot problems and challenge old ways of thinking. These benefits go beyond just team conversations. The Journal of Applied Psychology found that salespeople who use open-ended questions with customers make 23% more sales. By better understanding what customers need, they can offer better solutions.  Learning to ask open-ended questions isn't just about talking better—it's a skill that helps you succeed in all parts of work. Click here for more information.
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