Trust

“Trust is the one thing that changes everything” Stephen M. R. Covey

The following is a summary of some of the key points from The Speed of Trust by Stephen M. R. Covey

In every situation your priority should be to build trust with those around you. Trust decreases cost and time in any effort. Think about how long it takes to get through security now that we can’t trust passengers due to the one person who decided to take a liquid bomb on the plane. It costs lots of money to hire all those security officers and it takes an extra hour to get on an air plane instead of 30 minutes it used to take.

The three ingredients required for trust are the following:

1. Integrity
2. Intent
3. Competence

Let’s ask questions on each aspect:
1. Integrity
Integrity is different from honesty. Honesty can be leaving out information or saying the truth in a way that misleads the person. Integrity is communicating clearly and making sure the person fully understands the reality of the situation.

2. Intent
Intent is hidden inside a person and can be a cause of speculation. Its best to tell the person your intent so that they understand it. Your intent should be win/win, and if its not then you should examine your assumptions about what’s important.

3. Competence
Someone can be sincere, but if they don’t have the ability then they need to recognize that. If you wish to be trustworthy, constantly increase your competence in your area. Delivering results is the fastest way to build trust.

The Speed of Trust by Stephen M. R. Covey is an excellent book which covers how trust impacts relationships and your success from your family to your company’s brand in the market and how to build trust in each of those domains.