“Trust each other again and again. When the trust level gets high enough, people transcend apparent limits, discovering new and awesome abilities of which they were previously unaware.” – David Armistead, business consultant
Have you noticed that lately the world around us seems to be filled with mistrust and skepticism? Social media and the news abound with stories of people not trusting something or someone.
But at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, we know that trust is mission critical. We are a community of scientists, educators, care providers, staff and learners with high levels of scientific curiosity and empathy. We want to learn more, know more, discover more and cure more.
To succeed at this, we must trust one another. Trust builds collaboration and breaks down barriers. It increases loyalty and efficiency. It decreases stress. It allows us to openly share and develop ideas. Trust motivates and inspires us.
In academic health care, we must trust that our colleagues are all working toward our organizational aspiration. Trust that our wonderful support staff possess rich expertise and ideas. That our brilliant learners are making the most of their education. That our researchers are finding solutions for health care problems. That our dedicated physicians are offering compassionate care to every patient. That our teachers are providing an innovative, inclusive education.
I recognize, though, that trust can take time to develop, and sometimes it’s difficult to know where to begin to go about building trust. Here are some things to try. Listen to each other. Seek ideas from each other. Communicate your expectations consistently. Treat each other with the respect you expect yourself (Golden Rule). Show concern for one another. Be caring and kind.
I hope you will see that, over time, these are effective strategies for building trust. I also hope that trust will empower you to “transcend apparent limits, discovering new and awesome abilities of which [you] were previously unaware.” By building trusting teams, we will transform the health of our communities. I completely trust you to do this.
Dean, College of Medicine
Leslie H. and Abigail S. Wexner Dean’s Chair in Medicine
Vice President for Health Sciences, Wexner Medical Center