Have you ever noticed how much other children, your children or your grandchildren trust you? How much faith they have in you? What they are willing to do with and for you? My wife and I were at a playground at the local park with my two granddaughters, ages 2 and 4. We were with some other kids, and everyone was having fun. There was a three-sided climbing wall that rose up about 12 feet with a center flat section about 8 inches in diameter. I had encouraged each of the girls to climb the wall. Of course, I was in position and I would be ready to catch or assist them if they should become concerned or fall. I encouraged the older granddaughter. She climbed up about three-quarters of the way and then climbed down. The younger granddaughter climbed up a few feet and then she came back down.
We kept playing with a host of climbable items around the park. Then to my surprise my two-year-old granddaughter went back to the climbing wall and with no fear at all climbed all the way up to the top of the wall. I ran over and quickly climbed up behind her just as she reached the top. I watched her sit confidently on a small platform atop the wall. I smiled, but of course, inside I was very nervous in case she might fall. “Papa,” she said calmly. “I heard you say to my sister that she could do it, and I thought I can, too.” I congratulated her on her accomplishment and then I suggested we climb back down together—with me acting as a safety net should she slip. That’s what complete trust looks like. I told my granddaughter and her sister that I had confidence in them and not to be afraid. “Try something new,” I said...and that’s just what that trusting little two-year-old did. The Collaboration Effect is all about trust.
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