Penulis
Stephen M. R. Covey
Rebbeca R. Merril
Penerbit
Free Press
Review
Examples such as the McLane acquisition, the Kelleher reorganization approval, and others I've shared in this chapter go a long way toward dispelling some of the debilitating myths that keep us from enjoying the dividends of high trust.
One myth, for example, is that trust is "soft" -- it's something that's nice to have, but you really can't define it, quantify it, measure it. As I hope you can tell by now, the exact opposite is true. Trust is hard. It's real. It's quantifiable. It's measurable. In every instance, it affects both speed and cost, and speed and cost can be measured and quantified. To change the level of trust in a relationship, on a team, or in an organization is to dramatically impact both time and money -- and quality and value, as well. Another myth is that trust is slow. While restoring trust may take time, both establishing and extending trust can be done quite fast, and, once established, trust makes the playing field exceptionally quick. You don't have to look far beyond these examples I've given or even the speed with which you communicate and get things done in your own relationships to see the reality that truly, nothing is as fast as the speed of trust.
Probably the most insidious myth of all is the one expressed by the senior leader of that investment bank I worked for briefly in New York City: "You either have trust or you don't, and there's nothing you can do about it."
You can do something about trust! For 20 years, I've been a business practitioner. I've been responsible for building and running organizations, for developing teams, for reporting to boards, getting results, and having to "hit the numbers." During many of those years, I've also done consulting work with dozens of well-known companies -- many of which had good strategies and good execution abilities, but fell short of being able to accomplish what they wanted to without being able to explain why. I have been a husband, a father, a member of a large extended family with many multifaceted relationships. I have served in community situations in which I have counseled individuals and families dealing with complex trust issues. And in all of my experience, I have never seen an exception to the basic premise of this book: Trust is something you can do something about -- and probably much faster than you think!
Once again, I affirm that nothing is as fast as the speed of trust. Nothing is as fulfilling as a relationship of trust. Nothing is as inspiring as an offering of trust. Nothing is as profitable as the economics of trust. Nothing has more influence than a reputation of trust.
Trust truly is the one thing that changes everything. And there has never been a more vital time for people to establish, restore, and extend trust at all levels than in today's new global society.
Whether you approach the opportunity and challenge of increasing trust in relation to your personal life, your professional life, or both, I can promise you, it will make an enormous difference in every dimension of your life.