This is what a trustworthy person looks like.
Truly trustworthy people are few and far between. To know if you’re lucky enough to have one of these people in your life, or to work out if someone is deserving of your trust, keep reading. Here are 14 traits they’re likely to have:
1. They are consistent.
These are the people you can count on. If they say they’ll show up, they will. There’s no question of a last-minute change of mind or forgetting. If they do, you know something is seriously wrong. You know where you stand with them and where their boundaries are. They’re consistent in their character, behavior, opinions, and most importantly, showing up if you need them.
2. They come through on their promises.
Most of us have been guilty of making a promise we can’t keep or didn’t take seriously. This won’t be the case with a truly trustworthy person. If they’ve committed to something, it will be done, even if you never really expected them to go through with it. They take their commitments seriously. If they make you a promise, they’ll make it happen.
3. They aren’t people pleasers.
People pleasers hate saying no. They say yes because they don’t like to let people down. But they overpromise which means they do let people down. Trustworthy people don’t do this. If they can’t or don’t want to do something, they’ll tell you. There are no hidden surprises. They won’t leave it until the last minute and make up an excuse. With a truly trustworthy person, you always know where you stand.
4. They always show their true selves.
When a person puts on a mask to fit in with others or win their favor, you have to question their trustworthiness. How do you know who they truly are? A trustworthy person is willing to be their authentic self, even if that means some people won’t like them. They are who they are, and they don’t place value on the judgments of others. You can trust this person to be honest and real. It’s a wonderful trait to have.
5. They’re brutally honest.
It takes a trustworthy person to tell you something that’s difficult to hear. These people are rare. They’ll risk the brunt of your reaction for your own good. They’ll take the chance that you’ll blame them for being the one to tell you a truth you’d rather ignore. Most people would rather avoid the hard conversations. But you can count on this person to always be honest with you, even if it’s uncomfortable.
6. They don’t gossip.
You won’t find these people huddling around the coffee machine at work or letting something slip after a few glasses of wine. A trustworthy person stays out of gossip. You feel confident that if you share something private with them, it will stay between the two of you. You may find yourself naturally being drawn to them in confidence – you know you can trust them and they aren’t just looking for the next office scandal.
7. They respect your boundaries.
Boundaries are integral to relationships, romantic or otherwise. And boundaries are all about trust. If you say no to something, a trustworthy person won’t try to convince you to change your mind or question your choices. They don’t try to push or overstep the mark. They know this must be important to you, and they respect that. It’s a line that shouldn’t be crossed, and you can trust them not to cross it.
8. They’re vulnerable around you.
Trust works both ways. To gain it, you need to give it. You’ll find the most trustworthy people are those who not only keep your secrets but who can be vulnerable in sharing theirs. They inherently believe in truth and honesty and expect the same integrity from you that they give.
9. They own their mistakes.
Trust isn’t only shown through positive action. It’s also demonstrated when people get things wrong. It’s at these times a truly trustworthy person will stand up, admit their mistake, and give a heartfelt apology. To know that a person isn’t going to try and lay the blame at someone else’s feet is a sign you can trust them. You can have confidence in their integrity and their commitment to truth, whatever the cost.
10. They’re rational.
Trustworthy people aren’t ruled by their impulses. They take time to consider a situation with logic, evidence, and careful judgment. Because of this, you can count on them to be there when you need balanced, thoughtful advice. They won’t get caught up in hysteria or emotional reactions. They’re a constant and rational influence you can always rely on.
11. They listen to you.
To open up through communication is an act of trust. Yet often people fail at the first hurdle because they aren’t even listening when we speak. They’re distracted or not interested, or they impress their own experiences onto the situation and make it about themselves. But not a trustworthy person. They won’t try to compete or talk over you. They respect your experience. They listen, because you’ve entrusted them with your words.
12. They’re loyal through good times and bad.
They aren’t just there when you have some exciting news, they’ll be the ones picking up the phone in the middle of the night when you’re upset too. They may not always agree with you, but they won’t abandon you in hard times. They aren’t a flaky fair-weather friend. These are the people who will stick by you through the good and the ugly, and keep your confidence for as long as you need.
13. They give credit where it’s due.
You know you can trust someone when they rightfully share the limelight. If a manager heaps praise on a trustworthy individual, they’ll immediately point out it was a team effort. They refuse to take more than their fair share of the praise. When someone else achieves something, a trustworthy person is forthcoming in congratulating them. They raise others up, without worrying whether it shines a light on their own shortcomings.
14. They put the interests of others on a par with their own.
Most people are self-centered a lot of the time. They focus on how a situation affects them, how they can get their point across, and how they can get the attention and recognition they seek. But trustworthy people always seek to consider others’ needs alongside their own. They want to do right by others, not just by themselves, because that’s the decent, honest thing to do.
