Thank you for a nice note) I think it's a stable law of contradiction that generally means that if you say "Trust me" people will think the opposite. If you don't ask for that, they'll think "Why not".

Very well said.  The near-blasphemy of dubbing yourself "trusted advisor" reminds me of something I once learned about Hawaiian tradition — that the term "Big Kahuna" (referring to shaman, wise one, high priest) can *only* be bestowed on a person by the community; to take the title for yourself is simply not done.   (This came up in conversation when one colleague, who had lived and studied in Hawaii for years, reacted strongly to another colleague's clever use of "Big Kahuna" in lieu of "President" on her business card).  

So let's have a little fun with your favorite web quote:  "We have a unique understanding of your career needs and are uniquely positioned to be your Big Kahuna." Kind of brings home the absurdity of  being a self-proclaimed Trusted Advisor.

A good post and I completely agree. Is it a little ironic, given the name of your blog?

Good comments all. I'll have to watch the Kahuna thing!

Thanks to Tim for raising the issue of irony given my comments about "trust me" and the name of my business, Trusted Advisor Associates.

I agree too. Well said. Reminds me of other statements, "our employees are our most valuable assets", or "we are a customer - focussed organisation". 

Charlie: A couple of thoughts:

• Seems to me the term "trusted advisor" should be stored under the department of redundancy department. Joking aside, if one is asked or "entrusted" to advise another, can't we assume that they are being trusted, even if we discount the advice???? We don't knowingly solicit advice from people we don't trust - do we?
• Second point: I think of the mis and overused expression, "Trusted Advisor", as just another symtom of our "silver bullet" mentality. Someone realizes that something  proposed in a professional journal /book or something said about a competitor's organization either : sounds good or appears to work and suddenly, ipso facto...they're all using the terminology and, based upon the usage in the marketing brochures or the newly crafted sales pitches, all of the employees seem to morph overnight into whatever the desired state is.  If only...Then after a period of time (when the organization realizes that the latest silver bullet isn't the salvation they thought it was) - they move on to some other "methodology du jour". It goes without saying that the consultant/sales person that openly states, "I want to be your trusted advisor" not only doesn't comprehend the concept but is actually insulting the intelligence of the client and helping out the competition.
• Last point: To be fair there is something a tad ironic about your business' name. Having said that, I can't imagine anyone more qualified or deserving (than you) to leverage the terminology:  based upon your years of work, research, consulting, preaching, writing articles, books, etc. Charlie, no one could ever call you a "Johnnie come lately". You're not jumping on the bandwagon... you helped to create it! 

Thanks Rod and Barbara.  Yes, sigh, we do live in an age of instant commoditization.  No matter how clean the idea, it doesn't take long to flog it to death as the latest "silver bullet" as Barbara says.

Hey, thanks for this cool post. I especially liked your "ask for sex on a first date" analogy- that'll make it work!

But yes, you're so right. So many companies throw the "trust" word out thinking that's all consumers need to hear from them.

"You can trust us", and they'll be pouring in by the numbers.

Thanks,

Ron.

Snicker, .... guess what's the name of this blog?

The name of the blog is "trust matters," as it says on the RSS feed logo top left.

This is specifically to avoid the implied sense of "trust me."  But, the name doesn't always succeed in that objective.  We have all become very suspicious of most uses of that word; and rightly so.

Yes, I feel the same way when someone says, "trust me"...  Your blog posting just help solidify my feelings - thanks.