You got on an airplane, picked up your rental car and checked into your hotel. You put on some nice clothes, met a lot of interesting people, and learned some cool new things.

The conference ends and you go back to your hotel room. You take off your shoes, change clothes, and begin thinking about your trip back home and what faces when you get there. The kids, the dog, you need to do laundry and go to the store, etc.

Hold on. You just attended a conference that comes with expenses and your boss expects to see a return on his/her investment.

In the past, when you heard the word “salesperson” did you typically think of someone slick and very persuasive whose only focus was to make the sale and collect their commission? I did (and sometimes still do.)

Whether we realize it or not, consciously and subconsciously, everything we do or don’t do is creating our own reality. We oversee our own: careers, relationships, finances, environment, health…practically everything. Life throws everyone the occasional curveball, but in general, we are the captains of our own ships.

Having honest communication at work plays a huge factor in every aspect of your day. It can make your job a wonderful place to work or a place you dread going to. Many people don’t want to speak up in fear that others will think their idea is not a good one. Others stay quiet even when they have questions, feeling that they will look stupid because they should already know the answer. This can really hinder production and growth.

You want your workplace to be a place where people feel comfortable with each other and don’t have to be constantly questioning what they are told. Trust is earned, not given. Once that bond is broken, it is very hard to get it back.