Have you ever seen Trusted Advisor Associates Trust Equation? I’ve pulled it directly from their website with permission from Charles H. Green, a Trust Alliance member and one of our Lifetime Achievement Award Winners.
The Trust Equation uses four objective variables to measure trustworthiness. These four variables are best described as: Credibility, Reliability, Intimacy and Self-Orientation.
We combine these variables into the following equation:
TQ stands for Trust Quotient. The Trust Quotient is a number — like your IQ or EQ — that benchmarks your trustworthiness against the four variables.
In my opinion, and maybe Charlie’s too, nothing busts trust faster than a high denominator. All the credibility, reliability and intimacy in the world can’t fix that all too frequent “out of control” self-orientation.
Whether your work is in consulting, sales or any other profession requiring people skills, consider the possibility that the other individuals sitting at the table are familiar with Charlie’s Trust Equation. They are seeking signs of high self-orientation and it may just be the personality trait that kills the deal. Here’s ten signs to look for:
- Focus on the “I” instead of the “We”
- Failure to ask (or ask for) questions
- Interrupting
- Talking more than listening
- Lack of transparency
- Need for recognition
- Taking all the credit
- Having a win/lose perspective as opposed to a win/win
- Bending the truth
- Making excuses
It’s never too late to lower your self-orientation if it’s impeding your ability to succeed. What do you think?
Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the CEO & Cofounder of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help responsible organizations build trust. She facilitates the world’s largest membership program for those interested in the subject. Barbara also serves as editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series and the Executive Editor of TRUST! Magazine. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.
Copyright 2016, Next Decade, Inc.
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