Better Questions, Better Results

How Can You Achieve Trust with Someone? Building genuine bonds through reliability, transparency, and empathy Framing the Question Wondering  how to achieve trust with someone  in both personal and professional settings? Trust is earned through consistent actions, clear communication, and genuine care. In this post, you’ll learn a step-by-step framework—from the “1% Rule” micro-improvements to quarterly trust audits—that shows you exactly  how to steadily earn someone’s trust  and measure it over time. The Trust Paradox We All Face I learned about trust the hard way when I was 28, working as a consultant for a tech startup. My client, Sarah, had been burned by three previous consultants who over-promised and under-delivered. When we first met, she literally said, “I don’t trust consultants anymore, but I need help.” Six months later, she referred me to four other companies. What changed? I discovered that trust isn’t built through grand gestures—it’s forged in the mu...

How Can Transparent Communication Improve Trust and Collaboration Within Your Team? Openness Builds Bridges: Why Transparency Turns Teams Into High-Trust Collaborators  When a team operates behind a fog of half-truths or unspoken worries, small misunderstandings can snowball into big problems. Transparent communication is the antidote: it builds trust, aligns goals, and transforms coworkers into true collaborators. If you want your team to perform at its best, understanding how to practice openness is essential. Why Our Brains Crave Transparency Trust isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s a neurochemical edge. When team members perceive transparency, their brains release  oxytocin , the “trust hormone,” calming the brain’s threat detector. This means: Less energy wasted on scanning for hidden agendas Better focus and flexibility More willingness to share ideas and admit mistakes Without transparency,  cortisol  floods in, triggering stress and defensive behavior. The resu...

Let’s be honest, what does HR really do? The Truth About HR: Friend, Foe, or Corporate Watchdog? Human Resources (HR) has a reputation problem. To executives, it’s a strategic partner shaping company culture. To employees, it’s often seen as the policy enforcer, the complaint department, or worse—the company’s legal shield. So, what does HR actually do? Are they your ally, your boss’s watchdog, or just glorified event planners who also fire people? Let’s break it down—the honest, no-BS version of HR. 1. HR Protects the Company First—Employees Second 🚨  The Harsh Truth:  HR may talk about being “for the people,” but their main job is risk management. They exist to: Ensure the company doesn’t get sued. Document everything to protect leadership. Create policies that make the business look good on paper. 📌  How This Plays Out:  Employee complains about a toxic manager? HR investigates—but mainly to protect the company, not necessarily fix the culture. Mass layoffs? HR ...

How do we determine what is true in a world of misinformation? April 18, 2025 | Bias, Challenge Assumptions, Critical Thinking, Modern Life, Question a Day, Trust Question a Day    How to Determine Truth in a World of Misinformation We live in a time when a fake news article can travel the world before the truth even finds its reading glasses. With deepfake videos, AI-generated articles, and social media amplifying misinformation at record speeds, separating fact from fiction has never been trickier—or more important. So how do you cut through the noise and find the truth? The good news: It's possible. The bad news: It requires effort. But hey, a little skepticism never hurt anyone (except maybe conspiracy theorists). 1. Question Everything (Even What You Agree With) Misinformation thrives on confirmation bias—the tendency to believe things that reinforce our existing beliefs. If a claim makes you feel smugly correct, be extra careful. Truth isn’t about what we want to be real...