The Power of Trust

I learned about the power of trust in my first job. That lesson shaped how I follow and, even more importantly, how I lead.

I landed my first part-time job when I was a freshman in high school. Unglamorously, I was hired to bag groceries at a small grocery store in Nashville, Tennessee. We only had two checkout lines, and I was one of only a few baggers.

I had been on the job for about one week when the manager called me into his office and told me that he wanted to promote me to cashier. I was shocked! I knew there were other people who had been there longer, but he offered the position to me.

When I asked why I was being promoted, he said, “You told me that you are a Boy Scout at the rank of Life and that you are working on your Eagle badge. I am an Eagle Scout, so I understand the law you've agreed to live by. I know that I can trust you with our money as a cashier.”

Trustworthy.

Loyal.

Helpful.

Friendly.

Courteous.

Kind.

Obedient.

Cheerful.

Thrifty.

Brave.

Clean.

Reverent.

Those words of the Scout Law never meant more to me than at that moment. Because I had committed to live those principles, my manager believed I would do a good job. He must have been watching me work up to that point, and he was convinced that my commitment to that law was real.

He didn't just give me a promotion.

He gave me trust.

I remember wanting so badly to live up to that trust. I never wanted to do anything that would compromise the belief he had in me to perform my cashier duties with honor and integrity. I had a lot to learn, and I remember making mistakes.

But I never purposely did anything to violate his trust.

My manager’s trust gave me power—the power to work hard, to learn quickly, and to resist any temptation to do something that would compromise his trust. With that trust, I felt bolder and more capable.

Perhaps, most importantly, His belief in me changed how I saw myself.

I also learned that I could trust my manager. He stretched me in that new position, but I knew his efforts were intended to help me learn. When he gave me assignments, I knew that they would help me grow. And when I received corrections, I knew that they were for my benefit.

His trust created trust in return.

That experience shaped my leadership philosophy more than any formal training ever could.

Best Bosses understand that trust is a performance multiplier. When leaders trust their people, they bring out the best in them. They create psychological safety. They stretch people while signaling belief. They manage the tension between empowerment and control, providing freedom within clear boundaries.

Trust is reciprocal. It elevates both the giver and the receiver.

And perhaps that is the real power of trust: It doesn’t merely change behavior; it shapes identity.

Learn to trust and learn to be trusted.

Because trust pays dividends for a lifetime.