keeping trust

The whole world seemed focused on Zohran Mamdani as he won the mayoral election in New York City. In Seattle, after several days of counting, Katie Wilson won her own contest for mayor. A year ago, Mayor Bruce Harrell's re-election felt like it was in the bag. He made fewer newsworthy blunders as mayor than his predecessors. His charisma and the deep pockets of his business friends were all but assuring his victory. But Katie Wilson surprised a lot of people with a primary, then a general, election upset. Here she was: a socialist candidate in a city more centrist than people might imagine, winning it all. Wilson didn't have to pander to the center or betray her values to get into the chair. Her campaign felt pragmatic and unapologetic in a way that doesn't feel like she has plans to sell out now.

But progressives have been here for sure, not just in the city I call home. I'm an idealist at heart, but even I know that governance is not the same as dreaming about it. Lots of us have put our hopes in someone who feels like one of us, only for them to disappoint us in the end. That doesn't seem to be lost on Wilson, either. In a recent interview, the mayor-elect said the following:

"There's a lot of really ambitious things we want to get done, but there's also real obstacles. We're going to need to be able to tell a story of the things we're fighting for—the progress that we're making—but also the reason why it's not moving faster. There is more corporate PAC spending against me than has ever been spent in a Seattle race against a candidate. And a lot of those same interests are also going to want to undermine my administration."

People put their faith, or their trust, in many different kinds of people. There are people who have power over us. I'm thinking about elected officials, for sure, but really any decision-maker. There are also people we are in relationship with. They're a spouse, another family member, a friend, neighbor, or the like. I expect a politician to deliver on their promises. I trust that a boss will treat me fairly and mean the expectations they set. My husband trusts that I will do the dishes on nights that they cooked. Dinner last night was excellent, by the way.

But once we establish that trust, we have to maintain it. A decision-maker might decide on a course of action that I don't like. The power someone holds over me might cause me harm (including hurting my feelings, sure). These actions, not always the first action, can erode trust over time. When the pain is deep enough, losing someone's trust can feel like a betrayal.

trust me

We show each other respect when we show them they can trust us. How do people usually do this?

State your values and what they mean to you. Whether you're an elected official or someone I'm delegating power to, I need to know we're on the same page. Will you represent me in a way that shows you know where I'm coming from? Can I trust you to act on the values we share, even when I'm not present?

Make your intentions clear and be willing to improve them. One of my favorite companies is a home healthcare for-profit in the Netherlands. Buurtzorg is an organization where no person has unilateral authority over another. Small teams are self-leading, with coaches available to guide, not order. Staff can overrule even the CEO's decisions. When some wants to make a change, they propose it on the company's internal network. "This is what I propose." Everyone can read, discuss, and ultimately approve or disapprove of a proposal.

Share power. Trust goes both ways. Elected officials ask us to trust them every day they're in office. But this means they need to trust us, too. Treat our concerns with care. Give us opportunities to do more than weigh in on a proposal. Seattle is one of the first cities to launch a participatory budgeting process. This program started after the racial uprising that followed George Floyd's murder. Seattle residents themselves could propose and then decide how to spend city dollars. The program is still funding projects across the city. Grassroots efforts like the Seattle Solidarity Budget reimagines the entire budget through community-driven "guarantees."

reciprocal relationships

I also think we have responsibilities to the people we trust. These measures have helped keep my own cynicism at bay.

Make your own expectations known. Why do we give people our votes? What are the lines we expect them not to cross? What do we need in exchange for our support?

Hold yourself to a similar standard. Imagine yourself in the position of a decision-maker. What would you have done in their place? How reasonable are you being? I can imagine all the things I'd do if I could wave a magic wand. But as a decision-maker, I use my values as a north star while being flexible on how I get there.

People are fallible. Everyone makes mistakes. What matters is that they recognize the mistake, remedy it, and commit to doing better next time.

I have high expectations and even higher hopes for mayor Wilson when she takes office next year. I know the future will never go exactly as we plan. But I’m looking forward to having a compassionate and thoughtful organizer and policymaker at the helm. We need a society that values trust. Wary individualism won't get any of us as far as we want to go. I believe that trust is something people earn from us. Grace is something we can give them for free.