Trust
In The Speed of Trust, by Stephen M.R. Covey, he talks about trust being the "one thing that changes everything." The book is broken into "waves" of trust: self-trust, relationship trust, stakeholder trust and inspiring trust. Building trust is a key element of this process, specifically the principles Covey outlines of credibility, behavior, and relationships. As an example, the core elements of creating credibility are integrity (being congruent), intent (your agenda), capabilities (your relevance) and results (your track record). In Phase I, Inspiration, we focus on trust because it is foundational to this work. Without it, your team will be unable to move work forward and build capacity. Relationship trust is all about consistent behavior that increases trust; this builds a “trust account” that you can “withdraw from.” The first few highlighted behaviors include: talking straight (honesty, truthfulness, simple language); demonstrating respect (genuine caring, respect, dignity, and showing kindness); and creating transparency (tell the truth, get real and genuine, be open and authentic). There are 13 total behaviors that build trust. You can review the remaining 10 behaviors that build trust below:
Right wrongs (make things right when you are wrong, apologize, demonstrate humility).
Show loyalty (give credit, acknowledge contributions, represent others).
Deliver results (establish a track record, get the right things done, make things happen, be on time).
Get better (strive for continuous improvement, be a constant learner, and develop feedback systems).
Confront reality (take issues head on, address the “undiscussables,” acknowledge the unsaid, and don't skirt the real issues).
Clarify expectations (discuss and validate them and don't assume).
Practice accountability (hold yourself accountable, hold others accountable, take responsibility, and don't blame others).
Listen first (understand, diagnose, listen before you speak, and don't assume or presume).
Keep commitments (say what you will do, then do what you say you will do).
Extend trust (don't withhold trust because of risk, demonstrate propensity to trust, and extend trust abundantly).
You may also find this Executive Summary of The Speed of Trust useful.
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