Trust Across America-Trust Around the World™

Imagine visiting a shoe store and failing to provide the salesperson with information on your shoe size, color or the style you are seeking yet expecting to leave with the shoes that meet your needs.

Rarely a day passes without a note or a call asking some variation of the following question:

Do you have a questionnaire or a tool, to detect the level of trust in an organization?

And every time, I respond with “What are you trying to measure or detect?”

Trust is not a “one size fits all” proposition. These are just a few of the variations, and each has it’s own tool and/or assessment mechanism:

• Self-trust
• Internal trust including trust among team members, between teams, and trust between leaders and employees.
• External trust between the organization and its stakeholders including suppliers, vendors and customers.
• Organizational trust or its trust “worthiness” both internally and externally.

In most organizations trust is taken for granted perhaps because of the simple belief that “one size DOES fit all.” I hope you enjoy your shoes and that they meet your needs!

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the CEO & Cofounder of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She facilitates the world’s largest membership program for those interested in the subject. Barbara also servers 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 2015, Next Decade, Inc.

In the wake of the ongoing Volkswagen trust debacle and lot’s of “hot potato” blame games, our November Trust Quest asks:

Who’s Responsible?

What are your thoughts? Will you take 60 seconds to weigh in?

In the words of Richard Branson…

“The most valuable business commodity is trust.
There is simply no point in talking about trust if it is not followed by action.”

Nominations are now open for our 6th annual Trust Across America-Trust Around the World Top Thought Leaders.

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the CEO & Cofounder of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations identify their core values to build trust. She facilitates the world’s largest membership program for those interested in the subject. Barbara also servers 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 2015, Next Decade, Inc.

Trust is a holistic subject encompassing leadership, teamwork, crisis management, reputation management, risk, compliance, corporate responsibility and a host of interrelated components.

TRUST! Magazine’s 1st Anniversary issue brings together some of the best and the brightest service providers who are  working to advance the global cause of organizational trust.

Read more about the work they are doing at this link, the FREE fall issue of TRUST! Magazine.

If you are interested in advancing trust in your organization, I hope you choose to avail yourselves of these resources.

Barbara Brooks Kimmel, CEO & Cofounder Trust Across America-Trust Around the World

Access magazine here

In the wake of the growing Volkswagen scandal, our October Trust Quest asks:

Do you think Organizations should have a Trust Function such as Legal or Compliance?

What are your thoughts? Will you take 60 seconds to weigh in?

bit.ly/1L6m6cA

In the words of Richard Branson…

“The most valuable business commodity is trust.
There is simply no point in talking about trust if it is not followed by action.”

Nominations are now open for our 6th annual Trust Across America-Trust Around the World Top Thought Leaders.

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the CEO & Cofounder of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations identify their core values to build trust. She facilitates the world’s largest membership program for those interested in the subject. Barbara also servers 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 2015, Next Decade, Inc.

What can we learn about trust from the great leaders, teachers, writers and philosophers?

JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING

This week, in celebration of  the Jewish New Year, we turn our attention to the words of Elie Wiesel, a Jewish writer, professor and Nobel Laureate. A few years ago I was fortunate to meet him at a small gathering in New York City where he spoke about leadership, integrity and peace.

This article pulls together twenty of Elie Wiesel’s most inspiring quotes. Regardless of your role in life- a parent, teacher, business, religious or military leader, the following contain many messages about character, competence and consistency, the key ingredients in building trust.

1. “One person of integrity can make a difference.”
2. “For in the end, it is all about memory, its sources and its magnitude, and, of course, its consequences.”
3. “There are victories of the soul and spirit. Sometimes, even if you lose, you win.”
4. “Think higher, feel deeper.”
5. A person can almost be defined by his or her attitude toward gratitude.”
6. “Ultimately, the only power to which man should aspire is that which he exercises over himself.”
7. “Indifference is the sign of sickness, a sickness of the soul more contagious than any other.”
8. “Peace is our gift to each other.”
9. “Some stories are true that never happened.”
10. “Not all games are innocent. Some come dangerously close to cruelty.”
11. “Which is better, truth that is a lie or the lie that is truth?”
12. “Questions outlive the answers.”
13. “Certain things, certain events, seem inexplicable only for a time: up to the moment when the veil is torn aside.”
14. “A word is worth a thousand pictures.”
15. “Man’s strength resides in his capacity and desire to elevate himself, so as to attain the good.”
16. “…Those who know don’t talk and those who talk don’t know.”
17. “For the good of all, I say: Be careful, the brutality of the world must not be more powerful or attractive than love and friendship.”
18. “Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.”
19. “Never again” becomes more than a slogan: It’s a prayer, a promise, a vow.”
20. “The silence of two people is deeper than the silence of one.”

My favorites are #8, #15, and #16. How about yours? Want to read more from this series? We recently highlighted some of the best quotes on building trust from:

•  John Wooden
•  John C. Maxwell
•  Zig Ziglar
•  Mahtma Gandhi
•  Dr. Seuss  (for Mother’s Day)
•  George Bernard Shaw
•  Military Leaders (for Memorial Day)
•  Napoleon Hill
•  Deepak Chopra 
• Quotes for fathers, from fathers and about fathers (for Father’s Day)
• Peter Drucker
• Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She facilitates the world’s largest membership program for those interested in the subject. Barbara is also the 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.

Our annual poster, 52 Weeks of Activities to Increase Organizational Trust is available to those who would like to support our work by making a small donation.

Did you know we have published 3 books in our award-winning TRUST Inc. series. They are yours when you join our Alliance.

Help us continue our work in organizational trust by purchasing our award-winning books

at this link.

Copyright 2015, Next Decade, Inc.

Our September Trust Quest asked the following question:

What is the bigger issue in your organization? 

Leadership doesn’t trust its employees?

Employees don’t trust their leaders?

And here are the results of our poll…

71% of our respondents said that employees don’t trust their leaders.  What does this say about leadership? How long will leaders continue to ignore the impact on their organization of low employee trust including:

• Disengagement
• High turnover
• Low innovation
• Poor morale

Trust starts at the top. It can’t be delegated to HR or any other department. The tools to build trust are readily available to enlightened leaders who choose to make trust a business priority.

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She facilitates the world’s largest membership program for those interested in the subject. Barbara is also the 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.

Our annual poster, 52 Weeks of Activities to Increase Organizational Trust is available to those who would like to support our work by making a small donation.

Did you know we have published 3 books in our award-winning TRUST Inc. series. They are yours when you join our Alliance.

Copyright 2015, Next Decade, Inc.

What can we learn about trust from the great leaders, teachers, writers and philosophers?

JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING

This week we turn our attention to the words of Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner, coauthors of The Leadership Challenge, educators and management consultants. I have gotten to know Jim over the past several years, and he has recently been named one of our Lifetime Honorees as a Top Thought Leader in Trust. While many “talk trust,” Jim is one of just a small handful of people who “walks their talk.” 

This article pulls together twenty of Jim and Barry’s most inspiring quotes. Regardless of your role in life- a parent, teacher, business, religious or military leader, the following contain many messages about character, competence and consistency, the key ingredients in building trust.

1. “Exemplary leaders know that if they want to gain commitment and achieve the highest standards, they must be models of the behavior they expect of others.”
2. “The leader’s unique legacy is the creation of valued institutions that survive over time. The most significant contribution leaders make is not simply to today’s bottom line; it is to the long-term development of people and institutions so they can adapt, change, prosper, and grow.”
3. “There’s nothing more demoralizing than a leader who can’t clearly articulate why we’re doing what we’re doing.”
4. “Titles are granted, but it’s your behavior that earns you respect.”
5. “Find your voice by clarifying you personal values.”
6. “Leaders enlist others in a common vision by appealing to shared aspirations.”
7. “The best way to lead people into the future is to connect with them deeply in the present.”
8. “You can’t fast track your way to excellence.”
9. “Leaders don’t have to change history, but they do have to change “business as usual.”
10. “Leading by example is more effective than leading by command.” Unite your constituents around a common cause and connect with them as human beings.”
11. “Foster collaboration by promoting cooperative goals and building trust.”
12. “The leader merely coordinates and puts into action the wants and desires of the group.”
13. “People commit to causes, not to plans.”
14. “Living in a cave does not make you a geologist and simply being in a management position does not make you a great leader.”
15. “Leadership can’t grow in a culture that isn’t supportive of continuing development.”
16. “Say thank you. Let the other person know that you appreciate his or her feedback and that you can’t get any better without knowing more about yourself and how your actions affect others.”
17. “Leaders say YES.”
18. “The worst thing someone can do is to see a problem and think it is someone else’s responsibility.”
19. “The next time you see a problem and say “Why doesn’t someone do something about this?” take a look in the mirror and say instead, “I’ll be someone to do something about it.”
20. “Model the Way – Inspire a Shared Vision – Challenge the Process – Enable Others to Act – Encourage the Heart”

My favorites are #1, #11, #13 and #20. How about yours? Want to read more from this series? We recently highlighted some of the best quotes on building trust from:

•  John Wooden
•  John C. Maxwell
•  Zig Ziglar
•  Mahtma Gandhi
•  Dr. Seuss  (for Mother’s Day)
•  George Bernard Shaw
•  Military Leaders (for Memorial Day)
•  Napoleon Hill
•  Deepak Chopra 
• Quotes for fathers, from fathers and about fathers (for Father’s Day)
• Peter Drucker

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She facilitates the world’s largest membership program for those interested in the subject. Barbara is also the 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.

Our annual poster, 52 Weeks of Activities to Increase Organizational Trust is available to those who would like to support our work by making a small donation.

Did you know we have published 3 books in our award-winning TRUST Inc. series. They are yours when you join our Alliance.

Copyright 2015, Next Decade, Inc.

If your life is anything like mine, you spend waste at least an hour every week, sometimes more, on a customer service issue involving some third party vendor who claims to be in business to enhance your personal or professional life. Comcast, Verizon, First Energy and all health insurance providers top this list. I’m not sure why these companies still bother using the word “service.” CHR or Customer Hindrance Representative would be more accurate.

These calls usually begin by pressing lots of buttons, entering many codes and personal information, and then being put on hold due to “heavy call volume” while being told the “call is important to us.” Often, before the offshore CHR picks up, the call is disconnected, and the process must be repeated. The latest “innovation” is notification that the call is being recorded. For whose benefit is that? One can only guess.

Who remembers when customer service meant something? When customers came before profits, calls were answered by an actual living being who had at least an elementary command of the English language, and who hadn’t been handed a robotic script to answer questions? It wasn’t really that long ago. But apparently now companies think they can save redirect money by hiring minimum wage, offshore CHRs and then, in the name of “training” hand them a list of responses that were certainly written by the legal department, and from which they cannot deviate. Not only are these companies sending a message that they do not trust their employees, apparently they also have little regard for their customers. The term “I apologize” is #1 on this script and so companies have taken two sacred words and devalued them into meaningless drivel that is supposed to solve all customer issues, regardless of the problem.

Is it any wonder why consumers have so little regard for the companies with which they do are forced to do business? Is it any wonder why trust in business continues to decline? Is it any wonder that more than 70% of employees are disengaged at work?

Who decided this was a “better way?” How did this happen? Is there a solution?

I propose a simple experiment.

• Put every manager on phone duty for one week. Heck, call it “The Golden Rule” CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) program and kill two birds with one stone.
• Send the entire legal department on vacation during this same time period.
• Replace the script with these 7 words: Let me see what I can do.

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the CEO & Co-founder of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World . Established in 2008, the program’s mission is simply to provide tools and assistance to organizations interested in building stakeholder trust. Barbara runs the world’s largest organizational trust membership program. She is also the 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.

Barbara is an award-winning communications executive and former consultant to McKinsey who has run her own firm, Next Decade, Inc., that has been unraveling and simplifying complex subjects for over twenty years. She holds a BA in International Affairs from Lafayette College and an MBA from Baruch at the City University of NY.

I wish I could take credit for the title of this article but it belongs to Marillyn A. Hewson, Lockheed Martin’s CEO and a Trust Across America 2015 Top Thought Leader in Trust. In a recent article in National Defense Magazine, Ms. Hewson discusses the steps required to integrate trust and ethics. If you don’t have time to read the full article, these are the five steps:

• Establish an ethics program grounded in values
• Build a culture of communication
• Lead by example
• Address issues quickly
• Hold business partners to the same standards

As Hewson shows, this process pays off.

The leadership consulting firm KRW International recently looked into business ethics. They found that moral leaders actually tend to make their companies more profitable. Employees rated their bosses on attributes like character and integrity, and sure enough, businesses led by upright CEOs saw an average return on assets nearly five times greater than those led by bosses perceived to be less moral.

This is further evidence of  Trust Across America’s updated business case for trust, the first article in the spring issue of TRUST! Magazine and our claim that trust is the “ultimate” compliance and ethics program.

The majority of business leaders continue to hold fast to their beliefs that trust is a “soft” skill, while the enlightened minority embraces trust as a business imperative and reaps the rewards.

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the CEO & Co-founder of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World . Established in 2008, the program’s mission is simply to provide tools and assistance to organizations interested in building trust. Barbara runs the world’s largest organizational trust membership program. She is also the 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.

Barbara is an award-winning communications executive and former consultant to McKinsey who has run her own firm, Next Decade, Inc., that has been unraveling and simplifying complex subjects for over twenty years. She holds a BA in International Affairs from Lafayette College and an MBA from Baruch (City University of NY).

What can we learn from organizational trust missteps, and occasionally the steps that propel us forward in a positive way?  This was the question we asked when designing our new Trustlets series (quick case studies on organizational trust.)

The following is a sample Trustlet from our first series:

Takata/General Motors/Fiat Chrysler: Automakers and the Public Trust

Overview:

The largest consumer product recall in U.S. history was announced in May 2015 when Takata, after numerous deaths, doubled its faulty airbag recall to 34 million vehicles, impacting 11 automakers. This comes in the wake of the General Motors airbag crisis that claimed over 100 lives, as well as a Fiat Chrysler airbag recall. All three cases are attributed to “cost cutting” measures.

For the first time in history, the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) is exercising legal authority that it gained about 15 years ago from the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation Act, or TREAD Act.

Articles to be read before discussion:

Read Newsday: Automakers Risk Losing the Public Trust Forever

Read Reuters: Takata Faces Questions Over Airbag Fix

Read Detroit Free Press: NHSTA Tightening Oversight

What industry conditions or behaviors lead to greater regulatory action? What social solutions are available to create greater trust on the part of consumers?

Questions for discussion:

• What could Takata have done differently?
• Is tightening oversight the only solution to restore consumer trust?
• What steps must the automakers take to restore consumer trust?
• What should an automotive CEO be doing to walk the trust talk?
• When cost cutting measures result in deaths, should executives serve jail time?

Who is the intended audience for Trustlets? A few suggestions…

• Executive Education
• Undergraduate & Graduate Business Classes
• Work Teams in Every Organization
• Boards & C-Suites
• Workshops & Facilitated Discussions

Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the role of trust in organizational strategy. Trustlets compel participants to apply their theoretical ideas and practical trust experiences to real-world cases.

If you are interested in learning more about our Trustlets series, please click here.

Copyright © 2015 Next Decade, Inc.