What Is Your Balance In Your Emotional Bank Account? Sounds like an odd question but if you think about it for a minute, what a great metaphor. Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, uses the metaphor of an ‘Emotional Bank Account’ to measure the amount of trust that accumulates in a relationship.1  We all make deposits and withdrawals to this “account” on an ongoing basis.  Deposits get added when you do things that are trustworthy or demonstrate care.  Withdraws occur when we act in a manner that has people less willing to risk psychological safety by doing things such as being disrespectful, dismissive or dishonest. …