If you are talking with someone about important things, from the heart, with honesty, it’s entirely possible that what you’re saying contradicts what they expect.
It might because of the indoctrination of a lifetime of growing up in a particular culture.
It might be because of personal experiences they’ve had with others that didn’t work out very well.
And it might be because what you’re saying contradicts what they’re seeing.
Whichever it is, they nod their head, politely listening, but don’t change their expectations at all. Because they’ve been taught through experience not to believe that things are going to be different.
If you’ve read ten employee handbooks that say one thing when the company does another, you’re likely to not believe the eleventh one.
When you hear a boss say ‘people before profits’, you’re likely to hold back before baring your soul and sharing your fears.
“Trust me” is easy to say, especially when you mean it, but hard to hear.
Showing tends to beat telling, and it takes a very long time to earn trust when you’re running counter to culture.