Trust is easy to lose and difficult to gain. Regaining trust is even more difficult. Mistakes in communication can chip away at trust and trust building. Once trust is tarnished, conflicts see barren terrain through which to run wild. Escalation soars with mistrust. Some say there are many levels of trust: you trust the banker to actually deposit your check, and you trust the babysitter with your child. Without trust, openness, communication and patience have difficulty gaining purchase, and problems can grow quickly. Politics is a great venue for us to witness how the lack of trust affects communication and problem solving. Political ad campaigns, online opinion blogs, television "news" and even Congress exemplify the obstacles that mistrust erects and the tensions it increases.Next: Emotion -------------------