Trust Across America-Trust Around the World™

This week as I was preparing our upcoming calendar of events, I took some time to reflect on the progress we have made at Trust Across America-Trust Around the World.

What began as a conversation at the breakfast table in 2009 has since grown into a global, cross-functional social movement, whose mission is to help organizations build trust. Our website has become the leading “go to” global source of information on trust.

What do we have planned for the remainder of the year?

October 1: Top Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Business nomination period opens to the public: Recognizing global leaders who are inspiring others to place trust in the center of how organizations do business. This is our fifth year administering this program which has grown in both prestige and global awareness.

Late October: Publication of the inaugural edition of TRUST! The Magazine with a theme of:

Values to Value: Financial Institutions That Are Changing the Way Business is Done 

November 17-24: Join us as we celebrate TrustGiving ™, the first week long celebration of trust.

November 24: The publication of the 3rd book in our award-winning series:

TRUST INC., 52 Weeks of Activities and Inspirations for Building Workplace Trust.

December 2014: Our Alliance of Trustworthy Business Experts celebrates its second anniversary. We have grown from 25 founding members to a thriving organization with top thought leadership from around the world.

I want to extend a huge “thank you” and virtual “hug” to all who have freely given their time, advice, support and good wishes over the past five years, and who have encouraged me (in the words of Eddie Kendricks) to  “keep on truckin’.” 

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.

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Should you wish to communicate directly with Barbara, drop her a note at Barbara@trustacrossamerica.com

Copyright © 2014, Next Decade, Inc.

Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Michelle Clarke in the UK. Michelle is the organizer of the Global Trust Conference, which completed its second annual event just yesterday. I was lucky enough to virtually attend the conference, and to catch Stephen M.R. Covey delivering a great speech, packed with insight and advice. Stephen wrote the cover quote for our award-winning book TRUST Inc. and also contributed an essay.

I took notes and am happy to provide some highlights in today’s blog post.

What are the three most important facts about trust?

• Trust is an economic driver
• Trust is the #1 competency of leadership
• Trust is a learnable competency.

Think about a person you work with who you trust and consider the positive outcomes of that relationship.

Now think about a person you work with who you don’t trust and the lost opportunities as a result.

Trust=Confidence while Distrust=Suspicion

Confidence requires both character and competence.

Trust is Reciprocal

When you give trust, you receive it in return.

Trust is Not about Coordination

Trust is about collaboration, partnering and teamwork.

Energy and Joy

When trust goes down, energy and joy do too.

Four Cornerstones of Credibility

• Integrity (character)
• Intent (motive/agenda)
• Capability (are you relevant?)
• Results (your past and current performance)

Talk Straight

Candor is the language of trust. Never use spin.

Leaders Extend Trust

• The first job of a leader is to INSPIRE TRUST
• The second job of a leader is to EXTEND TRUST

And finally…. the starting place for trust is self-trust.

Thank you Michelle and Stephen. As I like to say, “It will take a tribe to push the trust boulder up the hill, but together we can.”

Would you like to help Stephen, Michelle and me in pushing that BIG boulder? Join our Alliance of Trustworthy Business Experts today.

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.

                                                                                                  Coming Soon!

Should you wish to communicate directly with Barbara, drop her a note at Barbara@trustacrossamerica.com

Copyright © 2014, Next Decade, Inc.

I remember 911 as if it were yesterday. 

I know I’m not alone.

Copyright 2014 Next Decade, Inc.

(photo credit to Barbara Brooks Kimmel)

It was not my intent to write a post about 9/11’s impact on trust, but yesterday afternoon serendipity paid a visit.

I  received a copy of an article  An Ominous Trade Center Beacon that appeared in the NY Times on September 4, written by Allan Ishac (who tweets @ElfieMuse) a college classmate and friend, who is also an accomplished writer. Allan drove a Volkswagen Beetle back in “the day” and I remember that as if it were yesterday too.

Allan has given me permission to reprint the text below, with full attribution to it’s original coverage in the NY Times.

Dear Diary:

If I lie on my living room couch facing south, I have an unobstructed, perfectly framed view of the new 1 World Trade Center, 30 blocks away.

This is exactly the same view I had of the old 1 World Trade Center – known as the north tower – that was destroyed on Sept. 11.

The new building, like the old, is masted with a huge telecommunications antenna, flashing a red aircraft warning light at night.

The red strobe on the earlier tower cycled lazily, like the slowly rotating lamp of a coastal lighthouse. When I couldn’t sleep at night, I’d leave my bed and move to the couch to gaze at the strobe until I got drowsy. The old beacon seemed to say: “I’m here. All is well. Go back to bed.”

The new strobe pulsates more quickly, with a sense of added urgency. There is nothing calming or comforting about it. It communicates a different message: “Stay alert. Proceed with caution. All eyes to the skies.”

Some might argue that 9/11 was the beginning of the end of societal trust. It certainly ushered in a new era. We became a different country that day. One where trust can no longer be taken for granted.

My thoughts are with those who experienced loss on that day.

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.

                                                                                              Coming Soon!

Should you wish to communicate directly with Barbara, drop her a note at Barbara@trustacrossamerica.com

Copyright © 2014, Next Decade, Inc.

Is your Board stuck in the SAC Rut- Show Up, Agree, Collect Check? 

A female acquaintance who has held C-Suite level corporate positions in the past, was recently talking to me about the multiple Board of Director seats she holds. I asked her about her degree of input at Board meetings. Her answer went something like this, “I show up, agree, collect my check and leave.” I pressed her a bit further. “What if you don’t agree? What if you have something to add to the discussion based on your own experiences? What if you want to challenge another board member?  Her answer was simply, “The more I just smile and agree, the better my chances are of getting on more Boards. It’s very lucrative and requires almost no work.” She then reminded me that she is a “hot commodity” as a former female senior executive.

Our August blog series, 31 Trust Tips For Boards & C-Suites provides guidance to boards on how to get out of the SAC Rut. There are another 69 essays in the book itself, Trust Inc., A Guide for Boards & C-Suites.

High-trust organizations with high-trust Boards are rewarded with faster decision making, flourishing innovation, and accelerating growth and profitability.  And trust is built through:

• collaboration
• common goals
• cooperation
• competence
• candor
• connection
• challenging the status quo
• character
• caring
• compromise
• choices

And these are just the “C’s”!

Boards stuck in the SAC Rut get back exactly what they put in. They get back nothing and ALL the stakeholders suffer as a result. And unfortunately, the story told above is all too common.

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.

                                                                                                  Coming Soon!

Should you wish to communicate directly with Barbara, drop her a note at Barbara@trustacrossamerica.com

Copyright © 2014, Next Decade, Inc.

Should Inlaws be Outlawed?  This was the title of a recent blog post written by my friend Erris Klapper. For those of you who may not know Erris, her blog is a well-written and thoughtful commentary, primarily focused on the trials and tribulations of baby boomers and their families, as well as coverage of other timely topics.

Erris believes that the two root causes of (in-law) contention are elevated levels of expectation and differences in upbringing.

Doesn’t the same apply to the Board/CEO relationship, leader/manager/employee relationship, or any relationship for that matter?

And like in-laws, in most business environments controversy could be avoided and trust could be built if time were invested early in the relationship to:

• Explore common ground by discussing respective upbringing
• Discuss goals and values
• Map out a course for the future
• Determine how disagreements will be handled.

Whether you are about to be married, or about to begin a new job or hire a new employee, invest the time to work through the four steps above. Building trust early in any relationship will pay off handsomely in the long-run.

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.

                                                                                                           Coming Soon!

Should you wish to communicate directly with Barbara, drop her a note at Barbara@trustacrossamerica.com

Copyright © 2014, Next Decade, Inc.

Companies talk about the importance of building customer loyalty and trust, but invariably a headline like this gets in the way:

Mimicking the Airlines Hotels Get Fee Happy

and the public quickly realizes that the “talk” is insincere and deceptive and the race to the bottom of the trust barrel continues.

Who in the C-Suite decided that the way to build trust with customers was to tack on extra charges wherever possible, or to mimic an industry (airlines) with historically low trust and lousy customer service, replete with bankruptcies and consolidations? Why did you choose the airlines as your role model?

Corporate culture is determined by the Board and the CEO. Weak leadership produces weak culture. Apparently the hotel industry has its fair share of both.

While you are racing to the bottom, why not inscribe your “values” on the lobby wall at corporate headquarters:

Our 5 Pillars of Business:

• We have no long-term vision or leadership.
• Our culture is simply to maximize short-term profit at all costs.
• Our customers come last.
• We will nickel and dime them at every turn.
• We have no interest in building loyalty or trust.

I wish this article was a spoof, but it’s not. Where’s the trust? Where’s the love?

Fortunately, industry is not destiny. There are some great hotels who DO place customers first. If you are one of them, please email me at barbara@trustacrossamerica.com. I want to hear your story. I would love to blog about it.

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.

                                                                                                       Coming Soon!

Should you wish to communicate directly with Barbara, drop her a note at Barbara@trustacrossamerica.com

Copyright © 2014, Next Decade, Inc.

In business, it’s easy to just show up.

• Show up at a lunch
• Show up at a conference
• Show up at a meeting
• Show up at a webinar
• Pay your annual dues

And then leave….

The outcome of showing up is usually little ventured, and probably little gained. And then we move on to the next lunch, conference, meeting or webinar.

It’s much more difficult to be involved in the planning.

Because involvement in the planning requires a commitment:

• Of time
• Of thought
• Of teamwork

But it’s the participation in the planning stage that builds the trust. In planning, we engage with others who are working towards a common goal…. a positive outcome. And this is how trust is built. And trustworthy relationships lead to new business. They also take time to develop.

It’s your choice. Maintain your independence, show up and then leave. Get involved in the planning and build trust. Make the investment and the payoff may surprise you.

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.

                                                                                                       Coming Soon!

Should you wish to communicate directly with Barbara, drop her a note at Barbara@trustacrossamerica.com

Copyright © 2014, Next Decade, Inc.

A recent conversation with Doug Turner, one of our Trust Alliance members, ended with him sharing this photo he had taken.

 What a statement about society’s view of trust or distrust!

We all agree that society clearly requires trust in order to function. So who decided that signage like this was the “right” way to build that trust? What positive trust message is the reader of this sign expected to take away?

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.

                                                                                                Coming Soon!

Should you wish to communicate directly with Barbara, drop her a note at Barbara@trustacrossamerica.com

Copyright © 2014, Next Decade, Inc.

Ask most Americans which companies they trust and the same names will surface: Apple, Google, Amazon, and maybe even Walmart.

But when pressed as to why, the answer is usually something like this:

• I trust Apple because they have innovative products.
• I trust Google because their search feature is easy to use.
• I trust Amazon to deliver my packages very quickly.
• I trust Walmart to have the lowest prices.

So does this mean these companies should be trusted? Sounds more to me like we are talking about customer loyalty or brand loyalty and not so much about trust.

In fact, many would argue that these four are far from trustworthy.  Just ask Apple’s factory workers, Google’s privacy critics, Amazon’s publishers or Walmart’s suppliers what they think.

So let’s not generalize the word “trust.” If we are going to talk about it, we need to clarify what we really mean!

Earlier today I read the following article about how IBM can help Apple with its trust issues. It sheds a bit more light on the confusion between brand loyalty and trust.

And my friend Charlie Green recently wrote this blog post called If Trust Is So Far Down, How Come– which confirms the need to use the correct terminology.

What do you think? Do we have a definitional issue, and if so, how do we overcome it?

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.

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Should you wish to communicate directly with Barbara, drop her a note at Barbara@trustacrossamerica.com

Copyright © 2014, Next Decade, Inc.

What’s that expression….”Kids say the darnedest things?” Well so do adults.

Lately, I’ve heard and seen some great examples of trust-busting comments and actions. They generally fall into one of these categories:

• Bad-mouthing a coworker, colleague, competitor or better yet, your boss
• Placing blame before all the facts have been gathered
• Spinning the truth
• Speaking with “big” meaningless words (psychobabble)
• Crying wolf
• Taking undeserved credit
• Fast finger pointing
• Pleading the “5^th”
• Refusing to admit a mistake or apologize
• Pulling a “disappearing act” or  playing the “silence” game.

How many times in the course of a day do you sound or appear untrustworthy? Learn to think before you speak, and consider the potential consequences of your actions.  These are quick, easy and simple ways to build trust.

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.

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Should you wish to communicate directly with Barbara, drop her a note at Barbara@trustacrossamerica.com

Copyright © 2014, Next Decade, Inc.