I was just thinking as I completed my last blog that I hoped readers realised that I included myself in the 'It starts with you' comment.
My whole journey developing my expertise in trust was due to a wakeup call from my son. Check out an introduction to my presentation on The truth about trust in business, where I share the conversation that shook my world - http://www.youtube.com/TrustEntente.
You see, it starts with me, too!
Vanessa
This blog has moved to truthabouttrust.blogspot.com.au and covers a huge range of aspects of trust - from trust in organisations, trust in families and trust in communities. Come and join me there :)
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
It starts with you
I was out with my son the other day and we walked past a pile of rubbish.
'Why is this place such a mess?' he asked, as he waved his hand towards the rubbish.
'Because you just walked past it, that's why.' I replied.
'But I didn't put it there!' He was quite incredulous.
'No, but if you picked it up, what a difference that would make.' I said, with a smile.
It reminded me of how often we wave our hands in disgust at things going on in the world. How easy it is to point the finger of blame, but not take a moment to ask ourselves if:
1. we might have played a role in it somehow, and
2. we could do something to make a difference
I am constantly amazed at the number of trust issues that come up, from all around the world. In the US right now, it's all about US Senators admitting to extramarital affairs. In the UK, it's politicians abusing expense accounts, in Australian politics it's lies and accusations about emails. And that's just trust issues in politics, and there are plenty more of those!
Every day I receive alerts about trust issues, breakdowns in relationships, betrayal, lies, people constantly crying out because their trust has been betrayed in some way. It's sad.
But here's the thing. I challenge you to look inside yourself, for we have all been, at some point, the one responsible for breaking the trust of another. It is easy to wave the hand, point the finger at others, but if we look, just for a moment, and think about it, maybe we're contributing to the global decline of trust.
Just as we are all slowly beginning to do our bit to help the environment, recycling our paper, turning the lights out, finding more economical ways to travel and reducing our carbon footprint, we also need to each be doing our bit to reduce the rubble, the collateral damage, that a breakdown of trust causes in all of our lives each day.
If you want a more trusting society, be more trusting yourself. If you want your children to develop trusting relationships when they are older, trust them. If you want your shareholders to trust you, be trustworthy. If you want your customers to trust you, extend your trust to them. If you want your employees to trust in your leadership, trust them.
It starts with you.
'Why is this place such a mess?' he asked, as he waved his hand towards the rubbish.
'Because you just walked past it, that's why.' I replied.
'But I didn't put it there!' He was quite incredulous.
'No, but if you picked it up, what a difference that would make.' I said, with a smile.
It reminded me of how often we wave our hands in disgust at things going on in the world. How easy it is to point the finger of blame, but not take a moment to ask ourselves if:
1. we might have played a role in it somehow, and
2. we could do something to make a difference
I am constantly amazed at the number of trust issues that come up, from all around the world. In the US right now, it's all about US Senators admitting to extramarital affairs. In the UK, it's politicians abusing expense accounts, in Australian politics it's lies and accusations about emails. And that's just trust issues in politics, and there are plenty more of those!
Every day I receive alerts about trust issues, breakdowns in relationships, betrayal, lies, people constantly crying out because their trust has been betrayed in some way. It's sad.
But here's the thing. I challenge you to look inside yourself, for we have all been, at some point, the one responsible for breaking the trust of another. It is easy to wave the hand, point the finger at others, but if we look, just for a moment, and think about it, maybe we're contributing to the global decline of trust.
Just as we are all slowly beginning to do our bit to help the environment, recycling our paper, turning the lights out, finding more economical ways to travel and reducing our carbon footprint, we also need to each be doing our bit to reduce the rubble, the collateral damage, that a breakdown of trust causes in all of our lives each day.
If you want a more trusting society, be more trusting yourself. If you want your children to develop trusting relationships when they are older, trust them. If you want your shareholders to trust you, be trustworthy. If you want your customers to trust you, extend your trust to them. If you want your employees to trust in your leadership, trust them.
It starts with you.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Frustration - a clear sign that trust is breaking down!
I have been having a real experience with my own model for trust (as I do every day, actually), but in this instance it has been around technology.
Let me explain - As I travel a lot more now, I decided to take the plunge and join the techno cool group with my new iPhone. Unfortunately, my Outlook Calendar and email can't sync with my iPhone due to some way I have my emails set up. My email service provider was unable to correct it, so at the advice of a friend, we eventually decided to set up a Gmail account, which works nicely with the iPhone.
Simple? Nooooooo. I have had every problem under the sun, including now, because I email a lot, and attach documents, articles, proposals, and cc others, Google have now decided that I must be spamming people and have booted me off my email for 24 hours til I 'settle down my activities!!' Prior to that, it was allowing some emails and failing to deliver others. I've had deadlines to get proposals out, get my article to Readers Digest on this year's most Trusted Brands from their survey, and so on. I think I've turned a little grey these last few days, but trying very hard to keep my cool and act with decorum.
So, here's what has happened from a trust perspective:
1. My expectations - as with most things, I always assume everything will be easy. I get caught out on this one a lot! My mantra for many years has been 'It can't be that hard!' I assumed in this case that getting the whole phone thing working would be relatively easy and I'd scoot off to the US shortly with the technology down pat.
2. My needs - I'm driven by Esteem and Self Actualisation for most things. I don't like looking stupid, or incompetent, and I just want to get on with getting my message out there, and living my purpose
3. The promise - the guy in the Vodaphone store assured me that the iPhone would easily sync with Outlook, and I'd be up and running in no time. My friend also assured me that this would be the best thing I've ever done in my life.
The outcome? A lot of unmet expectations, needs and unkept promises = broken trust = frustration
What now? Unfortunately for me, I can't go and sit on a mountaintop and refuse to use technology, so I'm forced to trust it to some extent, but I do it reluctantly and with much fear and trepidation. Thankfully, I'm also the eternal optimist and am convinced that it will all work out for me and technology, and my friend, will be redeemed!
Let me explain - As I travel a lot more now, I decided to take the plunge and join the techno cool group with my new iPhone. Unfortunately, my Outlook Calendar and email can't sync with my iPhone due to some way I have my emails set up. My email service provider was unable to correct it, so at the advice of a friend, we eventually decided to set up a Gmail account, which works nicely with the iPhone.
Simple? Nooooooo. I have had every problem under the sun, including now, because I email a lot, and attach documents, articles, proposals, and cc others, Google have now decided that I must be spamming people and have booted me off my email for 24 hours til I 'settle down my activities!!' Prior to that, it was allowing some emails and failing to deliver others. I've had deadlines to get proposals out, get my article to Readers Digest on this year's most Trusted Brands from their survey, and so on. I think I've turned a little grey these last few days, but trying very hard to keep my cool and act with decorum.
So, here's what has happened from a trust perspective:
1. My expectations - as with most things, I always assume everything will be easy. I get caught out on this one a lot! My mantra for many years has been 'It can't be that hard!' I assumed in this case that getting the whole phone thing working would be relatively easy and I'd scoot off to the US shortly with the technology down pat.
2. My needs - I'm driven by Esteem and Self Actualisation for most things. I don't like looking stupid, or incompetent, and I just want to get on with getting my message out there, and living my purpose
3. The promise - the guy in the Vodaphone store assured me that the iPhone would easily sync with Outlook, and I'd be up and running in no time. My friend also assured me that this would be the best thing I've ever done in my life.
The outcome? A lot of unmet expectations, needs and unkept promises = broken trust = frustration
What now? Unfortunately for me, I can't go and sit on a mountaintop and refuse to use technology, so I'm forced to trust it to some extent, but I do it reluctantly and with much fear and trepidation. Thankfully, I'm also the eternal optimist and am convinced that it will all work out for me and technology, and my friend, will be redeemed!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The Global Trust Crisis
The media is calling it a Global Economic Crisis, but when I look around I see a Global TRUST Crisis.
We have simply forgotten how to trust. We have forgotten just how powerful trust is, how quickly it can break down, and the pain and destruction caused by a breakdown of trust.
What we are seeing right now is the consequences of greed, lack of accountability and selfishness of too many business leaders - all stemming from a lack of understanding of just how intricate and finely balanced the trust of all their stakeholders really is. They have broken the trust of the very people they were trusted to serve and lead.
It's time to take a stand. It's time to get a handle on what is really going on here.
If you are a business leader, or you run your own business, become a true leader and learn how to trust and be trusted. It is the true secret to securing your future.
The time to trust is NOW.
We have simply forgotten how to trust. We have forgotten just how powerful trust is, how quickly it can break down, and the pain and destruction caused by a breakdown of trust.
What we are seeing right now is the consequences of greed, lack of accountability and selfishness of too many business leaders - all stemming from a lack of understanding of just how intricate and finely balanced the trust of all their stakeholders really is. They have broken the trust of the very people they were trusted to serve and lead.
It's time to take a stand. It's time to get a handle on what is really going on here.
If you are a business leader, or you run your own business, become a true leader and learn how to trust and be trusted. It is the true secret to securing your future.
The time to trust is NOW.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Survival of the trustworthy
Leo D'Angelo Fisher wrote for Australia's Business Review Weekly (BRW) February 5 - 11 2009, a piece on Survival of the Trustworthy, stating that 'Trust is the cornerstone of true leadership and managers who have it can move mountains.' He goes on to say 'Managers and executives who have earned the trust and respect of staff, who are admired for their fairness, empathy and integrity, will be the key to attracting and retaining an organisation's most valuable talent. Let's hope there are enough of these managers to go around.'
I couldn't have put it better myself. I actually know there are very few managers who know how to build trust – the ultimate skill to truly survive these difficult times.
In my experience, having dedicated my business to the sole focus of teaching leaders and individuals about trust, it’s an overused word that is grossly under-practiced.
Right now, organisations are breaking down trust with employees (those being shown the door, but also those left behind), customers, shareholders and the broader community. Understandably, difficult decisions must be made right now, but how those decisions are executed will make or break trust.
What leaders and managers need to remember is that everything cycles – at some point things will turn around and they will be re-hiring. When trust is broken, people hurt, and they tell everyone about it! The reputational risk is massive. The employees who are left have lost trust and respect for the leadership, and customers and shareholders are nervous.
Breaking trust is the easy option, and unfortunately one that too many leaders are choosing as the default. Those who choose to ignore its huge long term impact, do so at their own peril.
Building trust takes courage, skill and an understanding of its duality – its power and its fragility.
It’s trust or bust!
I couldn't have put it better myself. I actually know there are very few managers who know how to build trust – the ultimate skill to truly survive these difficult times.
In my experience, having dedicated my business to the sole focus of teaching leaders and individuals about trust, it’s an overused word that is grossly under-practiced.
Right now, organisations are breaking down trust with employees (those being shown the door, but also those left behind), customers, shareholders and the broader community. Understandably, difficult decisions must be made right now, but how those decisions are executed will make or break trust.
What leaders and managers need to remember is that everything cycles – at some point things will turn around and they will be re-hiring. When trust is broken, people hurt, and they tell everyone about it! The reputational risk is massive. The employees who are left have lost trust and respect for the leadership, and customers and shareholders are nervous.
Breaking trust is the easy option, and unfortunately one that too many leaders are choosing as the default. Those who choose to ignore its huge long term impact, do so at their own peril.
Building trust takes courage, skill and an understanding of its duality – its power and its fragility.
It’s trust or bust!
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