读书笔记 - The speed of trust

The speed of trust - The one thing that changes everything was authored by Stephen M.R. Covey with Rebecca R. Merrill. I read the updated edition published in July 2018. Stephen is co-founder and CEO of CoveyLink Worldwide. I once listened to his keynote in 2019 about trust. I also subscribe to  FranklinCovey All Access Pass from his company.

The book mainly talked about 5 waves, 4 cores and 13 behaviors, with many quotes and stories to prove and explain why trust is so important.

5 Waves of Trust
 

4 Cores of Credibility (self trust)

 

"Credibility is a leader's currency. With it, he or she is solvent; without it, he or she is bankrupt." --Johh Maxwell

(tree metaphor: root/integrity, trunk/intent, branches/capabilities, fruits/results)

How to improve Integrity?

1.  make and keep commitments to yourself
2. stand for something
3. be open

"I look for three things in hiring people. The first is personal integrity, the second is intelligence, and the third is a high energy level. But, if you don't have the first, the other two will kill you." --Warren Buffett

How to improve Intent?

1. examine and refine your motives
2. declare your intent
3. choose abundance

"In law, a man is guilty when he violates the rights of another. In ethics, he is guilty if he only thinks of doing so." --Immanuel Kant

How to improve Capabilities?

1. run with your strengths and with your purpose
2. keep yourself relevant
3. know where you are going

TASKS (Talents, Attitudes, Skills, Knowledge, Style)

"People of capability inspire us." --Samaveda

How to improve results?

1. Take responsibility for results
2. expect to win
3. finish strong

"You can't create a high-trust culture unless people perform." --Craig Weatherup

13 Behaviors (relationship trust)

#1--Talk straight
Be honest. Tell the truth. Let people know where you stand. Use simple language. Call things what they are. Demonstrate integrity. Don't manipulate people or distort facts. Don't spin the truth. Don't leave false impressions.

#2--Demonstrate respect
Genuinely care for others. Show you care. Respect the dignity of every person and every role. Treat everyone with respect, especially those who can't do anything for you. Show kindness in the little things. Don't fake caring. Don't attempt to be "efficient" with people.

#3--Create transparency
Tell the truth in a way people can verify. Declare your intent. Get real and be genuine. Be open and authentic. Err on the side of disclosure. Be transparent about not being able to be transparent. Operate on the premise of "What you see is what you get." Don't have hidden agendas. Don't hide information.

#4--Right wrongs
Make things right when you are wrong. Apologize quickly. Make restitution where possible. Practice "service recoveries." Demonstrate humility. Don't cover things up. Don't let pride get in the way of doing the right thing.

#5--Show loyalty
Give credit to others. Speak about people as if they were present. Represent others who aren't there to speak for themselves. Don't bad-mouth others behind their backs. When you must talk about others, check your intent. Don't disclose others' private information.

#6--Deliver results
Establish a track record of results. Get the right things done. Make things happen. Accomplish what you're hired to do. Be on time and within budget. Don't over-promise and under-deliver. Don't make excuses for not delivering.

#7--Get better
Continuously improve. Increase your capabilities. Be a constant learner. Develop feedback systems--both formal and informal. Act on the feedback you receive. Thank people for feedback. Don't consider yourself above feedback. Don't assume today's knowledge and skills will be sufficient for tomorrow's challenges.

#8--Confront reality
Take issues head on, even the "undiscussables". Address the tough stuff directly. Acknowledge the unsaid. Confront issues before they turn into major problems. Confront the reality, not the person. Remove the "sword from their hands". Lead out courageously in conversation. Don't skirt the real issues. Don't bury your head in the sand.

#9--Clarify expectations
Disclose and reveal expectations. Discuss them. Validate them. Renegotiate them if needed and possible. Don't violate expectations. Don't assume that expectations are clear and shared.

#10--Practice accountability
Hold yourself accountable first; hold others accountable second. Take responsibility for results, good or bad. Be clear on how you'll communicate how you're doing--and how others are doing. Don't avoid or shirk responsibility. Don't blame others or point fingers when things go wrong.

#11--Listen first
Listen before you speak. Understand. Diagnose. Listen with your ears-and your eyes and heart. Find out what the most important behaviors are to the people you're working with. Don't assume you know what matters most to others. Don't presume you have all the answers-or all the questions.

#12--Keep commitments
Say what you're going to do, then do what you say you're going to do. Make commitments-both explicit and implicit-very carefully, and keep them at almost all costs. Communicate when you can't. Make keeping commitments the symbol of your honor. Don't break confidences. Don't attempt to spin your way out of a commitment you've broken.

#13--Extend trust
Demonstrate a propensity to trust. Extend trust abundantly to those who have earned your trust. Extend trust conditionally to those who are earning your trust. Learn how to appropriately extend trust to others based on the situation, risk, and credibility (character and competence) of the people involved. But start with a propensity to trust. Don't withhold trust because there is risk involved.

Summary

The 4 cores (Self Trust) and the 13 behaviors (Relationship Trust) are the tools that establish or restore trust in every context--in organizations (including the family), in the marketplace, and in society. We need to decrease trust tax and increase trust dividend.

The main principle of establishing Organizational Trust is alignment--ensuring that all structures and systems within the organization are in harmony with the cores and behaviors. This is what builds trust with internal stakeholders.

The main principle of establishing Market Trust is reputation or brand. It's using the cores and behaviors to create the credibility and behavior that inspires the trust of external stakeholders to the extent that inspires the trust of external stakeholders to the extent that they will buy, invest in, and/or recommend your products and services to others.

The main principle of establishing Societal Trust is contribution. It is demonstrating the intent to give back, to be responsible global citizen, and it is becoming both a social and an economic necessity in our knowledge worker age.

Afterword

"Trust has to be the highest value in your company. If it is not, something bad is going to happen to you." --Marc Benioff

Trust is more timely, more relevant, and more vital today. There are myriad reasons for this, but here are the top 10 reasons:

#1--We live in a world of declining trust.
#2--Trust is the engine of the sharing economy.
#3--The nature of work today demands increasing collaboration.
#4--Change is the new normal in a disruptive world.
#5--Our multi-generational workforce necessitates a different approach to how work gets done.
#6--Trust is the critical enabler of strategic initiatives.
#7--Trust itself has become a key strategic initiative.
#8--Culture has reemerged as an imperative for organizational success.
#9--Yesterday's style of management is insufficient for today's leadership needs.
#10--Trust is the new currency of our world today.

It is a great read, no wonder there are over 2 million copies sold.