Football, Hurricane Harvey and Trust

Hurricane Harvey came and went. But JJ Watt, All Pro defensive end for the Houston Texans, never got stuck. Even before the disaster, this 6’5″ behemoth was arguably the most beloved athlete in Texas. He has stuck with a team that tries hard to reach the NFL playoffs, but they are thwarted every year. He has shown loyalty and integrity throughout the years by sticking with the team.

This quality was never more evident than after Hurricane Harvey hit Houston. He saw the problems in Houston and stepped up. He got unstuck. JJ began a fundraising campaign to aid relief efforts in the area. He hoped to raise $200,000. Yesterday, the funds were at $18 million. Today, it is over $20 million. Many of the 180,000 donations were less than $100. Last evening, he was standing in front of a warehouse full of donated goods and supplies. Donors trust him.

Others may have been stuck in the moment, dazzled by the spotlight. What interested me was his perspective and integrity. He clearly stated that he felt the responsibility of the faith people had in him. He wanted to do right by them.

People trust a man who knows his own values. JJ Watt is not going to get stuck in stardom. He’s down to earth and even personally helped deliver supplies where they were needed. I don’t know how I’d be able to inspire others to trust me enough to donate $20 million or more to a cause. To move forward and not get stuck in this immense need of Houston says volumes. Your thoughts? (Let me know below in the Comments.)

Want to develop more trust? Trust is consistency over time, according to Jeff Weiner, CEO of Linked In. He just sold his business to Microsoft for $1.2B, so I listened to his counsel. If you take the high road and always act in the same way”¦ you will be trusted. You are dependable. Others can count on you. Get stuck in the positive. It’s about connecting, community and being heard. It’s that simple.