Trust Across America-Trust Around the World™

In most companies trust is taken for granted until a crisis threatens earnings and subsequent shareholder loyalty. And because it’s not regulated, most CEOs ignore the word “trust” completely. Just ask any CEO how trustworthy they think their company is, and depending on the route they took in their ascent through the ranks, these are the responses you will most likely receive:

• The College Sports Team Captain:  “Trust is an outcome of wins over losses.”
• The Chief Marketing/Communications Officer: “Trust is gained or lost according to the message we deliver.”
• The Military Officer: “Trust is a product of strong teams.”
• The Milton Friedman follower: “Our quarterly earnings are growing so we are trusted by our shareholders.”
• The Chief Compliance Officer: “If we abide by the regulations, we are trustworthy.”
• The General Counsel: “If we don’t break any laws, we are trustworthy.”
• The Chief Financial Officer: “Our level of trust is measured in our income statement and balance sheet.”
• The Investment Banker: “We benchmark our trust against our competitors.”

If all these definitions are correct, then why are the levels of trust so low, not only in corporate America but globally? The answer is simply, “The definitions are wrong.”

Fortunately some leaders, and their Boards have tossed these “old school” siloed and limited definitions of organizational trust to the curb.  We are beginning to see the emergence of a new “class” of enlightened CEOs who are leading very differently and their companies are thriving.

• The Values Based Leader: We define trust according to how trustworthy I am viewed as a leader.
• The Trust Based Leader: We define trust through our leadership and organizational values, and how well we are meeting the needs of all our stakeholders- shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, community, etc.

Trust begins with leadership that recognizes its value and embraces it as a long-term business strategy. Until leaders at both the Board and CEO level lose their “old school” definition and adopt a new one that works, trust will stagnate. CEOs will continue to extinguish the daily fires by hiring more compliance staff to meet the needs of the ever increasing regulations that are written as a result of low trust and trust violations. Sounds like a never-ending cycle of mistrust … and a short-term strategy at best.

I challenge all CEOs and Boards to lose their old definition of trust and replace it with one that works. Start by becoming a values based leader and trust will follow.

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She also facilitates the world’s largest membership program for those interested in learning more about the subject. Barbara is the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series and the Executive Editor of TRUST! Magazine. In 2012 she 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, and in recognition of Father’s Day we turn our attention to quotes from fathers, for fathers and about fathers.  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 for building trust.

1. “Being a role model is the most powerful form of educating…too often fathers neglect it because they get so caught up in making a living they forget to make a life.” John Wooden
2. “Fathers…it’s vital to exhibit a thoughtful balance between being a tough as nails disciplinarian and compassionate gentle patriarch to our families. Too much of one devastates relationships and too much of the other emasculates our ability to effectively lead. Our wives and children need the security and assurance of knowing that we can be both tough and tender. One side steel…the other side velvet. ~Jason Versey”
3. “The greatest mark of a father is how he treats his children when no one is looking.” Dan Pearce
4. “The quality of a father can be seen in the goals, dreams and aspirations he sets not only for himself, but for his family.” Reed Markham
5. “As fathers, we should have a desire to be active participants in our children’s lives.” Asa Don Brown
6. “(My father) didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.” Clarence B. Kelland
7. “I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments, when they aren’t trying to teach us. We are formed by little scraps of wisdom.” Umberto Eco
8. “Dads. Do you not realize that a child is what you tell them they are? That people almost always become what they are labeled? Was whatever your child just did really the “dumbest thing you’ve ever seen somebody do”? Was it really the “most ridiculous thing they ever could have done”? Do you really believe that your child is an idiot? Because she now does. Think about that. Because you said it, she now believes it. Bravo.”  Dan Pearce
9. “His client needs him, he says. Needs him? But isn’t he needed at home?” Beth Kephart
10. “The strength of a man is in his character. A strong man is great man of wisdom who understands, his top priority is to his family.”  Ellen J. Barrier
11. “As a father, we need to actively listen.”  Asa Don Brown
12. “It has been said that as goes the family, so goes the world. It can also be said that as goes the father, so goes the family.”  Voddie T. Baucham Jr.
13. “My dad kept giving me “love pats.” Love pats are soft punches of encouragement that are administered on the knee, shoulder, and arm.”  Stephen Chbosky
14. “My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.” Jim Valvano
15. “One father is more than 100 schoolmasters.” George Herbert
16. “There’s no better cure for the fear of taking after one’s father, than not to know who he is.”  Andre Gide
17. “Spiritual fathers have influence over the lives of individuals. Patriarchs have influence over families. The devil has been able to destroy families because there is a lack of spiritual fathers and patriarchs.”  Sherry K. White
18. “There is no teacher equal to mother and there’s nothing more contagious than the dignity of a father.”  Amit Ray
19. “A father acts on behalf of his children by working, providing, intervening, struggling, and suffering for them. In so doing, he really stands in their place. He is not an isolated individual, but incorporates the selves of several people in his own self. Every attempt to live as if he were alone is a denial of the fact that he is actually responsible. He cannot escape the responsibility, which is his because he is a father. This reality refutes the fictitious notion that the isolated individual is the agent of all ethical behavior. It is not the isolated individual but the responsible person who is the proper agent to be considered in ethical reflection.”  Dietrich Bonhoeffer
20. “Listen, there is no way any true man is going to let children live around him in his home and not discipline and teach, fight and mold them until they know all he knows. His goal is to make them better than he is. Being their friend is a distant second to this.”  Victor Devlin

Did your father say or do something that encouraged you to lead with trust? Please share your story with us.

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

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

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.

I’ve spent the best part of a 20+ year career on a mission to simplify complex subjects, and for the past 6, my focus has been on organizational trust. If I had known 6 years ago the quicksand I was about to step into, I may have chosen a different subject! But with great tenacity, I have waded through murky waters and, with the guidance of some amazing and accomplished colleagues, developed a very simple “Golden Rule” of organizational trust. It’s not perfect, but captures the key elements for those who are already on a quest to proactively address what some have called the “issue of the decade.” And if you, like so many others, are stuck in an organizational “crisis mentality quicksand,” this may help you dig your way out.

The VIP Model of Organizational Trust

Vision & Values+Integrity+Promises Kept=Trust

Organizations and their leaders become trustworthy once trust is earned.

This is accomplished via the following sequence of actions:

• VISION & VALUES: Identify what the organization wants to achieve. Why does it exist and what does it stand for? Write a credo.
• INTEGRITY: Identify, practice and communicate the moral principles and purpose of the leadership team and the organization. Alignment is essential.
• PROMISES: Ensure that leadership is held accountable for doing what they say they will do, and for regularly communicating the vision, values and promises to all stakeholders.

Regardless of the size or nature of your organization, this VIP Model will set you on the right course to building organizational trust “worthiness.” What do you think? Worth a try?

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She also facilitates the world’s largest membership program for those interested in the subject, and is 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 Deepak Chopra, an Indian medical doctor and author of more than 80 books, including 22 NY Times Bestsellers. Chopra is an influential global scholar and thinker. This article pulls together twenty of his 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 for building trust.

1. “There is a big difference between being centered and being self-centered.”
2. “When you make a choice, you change the future.”
3. “You will be transformed by what you read.”
4. “Ask for nothing less than inspiration.”
5. “Good luck is opportunity meeting preparedness.”
6. “Instead of asking “what’s the problem?” ask “what’s the creative opportunity?”
7. “Owning your own feelings, rather than blaming them on someone else, is the mark of a person who has moved from contracted to expanded awareness.”
8. “Give up being right. Instead radiate peace, harmony, love, and laughter from your heart.”
9. “The most creative act you will ever undertake is the act of creating yourself.”
10. “If you focus on success, you’ll have stress. But if you pursue excellence, success will be guaranteed.”
11. “The more boundless your vision, the more real you are.”
12. “The direction of life is from duality to unity.”
13. “Every great change is preceded by chaos.”
14. “The world ‘out there’ won’t change until the world ‘in here’ does.”
15. “Never forget your real identity. You are a luminous conscious stardust being forged in the crucible of cosmic fire.”
16. “Replace fear-based thinking with love-based thinking. Every time you’re making a choice, ask yourself if it’s going to cultivate the experience of unity and love or the experience of separation and stress.”
17. “Freedom comes when you see the built-in contradiction of trying to manipulate something that is going right to begin with…. Stop trying to steer the river.”
18. “Attachment to money will always create insecurity no matter how much money you have in the bank.”
19. “Nothing brings down walls as surely as acceptance.”
20. “And stop talking in that puffed-up way they taught you. Words aren’t brains, you know.”

My favorites are #1, #7, #8 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

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

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 Napoleon Hill, an American author who wrote about success, but probably best known for Think and Grow Rich, one of the best-selling books of all time.  Hill was also an advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. This article pulls together twenty of his 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 for building trust.

1. “When you are able to maintain your own highest standards of integrity – regardless of what others may do – you are destined for greatness.”
2. “Action is the real measure of intelligence.”
3. “An educated man is not, necessarily, one who has an abundance of general or specialized knowledge. An educated man is one who has so developed the faculties of his mind that he may acquire anything he wants, or its equivalent, without violating the rights of others.”
4. “There are no limitations to the mind except those that we acknowledge.”
5. “A quitter never wins and a winner never quits.”
6. “If you can’t do great things, do small things in a great way.”
7. “The way of success is the way of continuous pursuit of knowledge.”
8. “A goal is a dream with a deadline.”
9. “If you must speak ill of another, do not speak it . . . ”
10. “War grows out of desire of the individual to gain advantage at the expense of his fellow man.”
11. “Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.”
12. “Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.”
13. “Enthusiasm is the steam that drives the engine.”
14. “Success requires no apologies, failure permits no alibis.”
15. “Wise men, when in doubt whether to speak or to keep quiet, give themselves the benefit of the doubt, and remain silent.”
16. “The world has the habit of making room for the man whose words and actions show that he knows where he is going.”
17. “No one can make you jealous, angry, vengeful, or greedy; unless you let him.”
18. “No man has a chance to enjoy permanent success until he begins to look in a mirror for the real cause of all his mistakes.”
19. “You become what you think about.”
20. “TELL THE WORLD WHAT YOU INTEND TO DO, BUT FIRST SHOW IT. This is the equivalent of saying “deeds, and not words, are what count most.”

My favorites are #11, #15 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)

Have you answered our June “Pulse” on Trust question? It will take no more than 30 seconds.

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

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.

Welcome!

Our monthly roundup is another collaborative undertaking of our Trust Alliance, selected blog posts on a variety of organizational trust topics. The subjects are as diverse as the expertise of our members!

By reviewing these posts, you will have a better appreciation for the importance of embracing trust as an organizational imperative.

Let’s get started!

Edward Marshall discusses the link between trust and the thriving workplace

Donna Boehme weighs in on the role of Boards in compliance

Randy Conley describes how trust is not a destination, but rather a journey.

Nadine Hack explains how the truth can set you free.

My most popular post this month was a Mother’s Day Special containing 20 quotes on building trust from the very lovable Dr. Seuss.

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

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.

Trust is the glue that binds every good relationship, or so we are told. The challenge not only lies in both definition and degree of trust, but too many people believe they are trustworthy when, in reality, they are not. In fact, both business leaders (and criminals) suffer from what is called “The Better than Average Effect,”  and we’ve all fallen victim to this psychological phenomenon at one time or another.

Think about how trust “worthy” you consider yourself and then check off how many of the following apply to you. You may not be quite as trust “worthy” as you thought.

1. Trust me, but don’t turn your back.
2. Trust me, but I come first.
3. Trust me, but I’m the boss.
4. Trust me, but I don’t walk my talk.
5. Trust me, but only in the office.
6. Trust me, but quarterly numbers trump employee well-being.
7. Trust me, but if the going gets rough…
8. Trust me, but only until there’s nothing left “in it” for me.
9. Trust me, but first impressions aren’t necessarily accurate.
10. Trust me, but only when I feel like telling the truth.

While some will argue that trust can be established quickly, I believe that trust takes time and is built in incremental steps. And like all bell curves, only a small percentage of people, even our most successful business leaders, are genuinely very trustworthy, regardless of how they perceive themselves.

As my friend Bob Vanourek at Triple Crown Leadership likes to say, “Always trust your instincts.” He’s right. They will rarely let you down.

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

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 building trust from the world’s greatest leaders, teachers, writers and philosophers?

JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING

We recently highlighted the greatest quotes on building trust from:

•  John Wooden
•  John C. Maxwell
•  Zig Ziglar
•  Mahtma Gandhi
•  Dr. Seuss
•  George Bernard Shaw

This week, in honor of our Memorial Day heroes,  we turn our attention to the words (and worlds) of our military leaders.  This article pulls together twenty of their most inspiring quotes. Regardless of your role in life- a parent, teacher, business, religious or military leader, the following quotes contain many messages about character, competence and consistency, the key ingredients for building trust.

1. “I can better trust those who helped to relieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity.” Ulysses F. Grant
2. “I cannot trust a man to control others who cannot control himself.”  Robert E. Lee
3. “Character as we used to say when I was in elementary school, is what you are. Reputation is what others think you are. The reason that some fail to climb the ladder of success, or of leadership if you want to call it that, is that there is no difference between reputation and character. The two do not always coincide. A man may be considered to have sterling character. Opportunity might come to that man; but if he has the reputation for something he is not, he may fail that opportunity. I think character is the foundation of successful leadership.” General Lucian K. Truscott
4. “The people when rightly and fully trusted will return the trust.” Abraham Lincoln
5. “A good battle plan that you act on today can be better than a perfect one tomorrow.” General George S. Patton
6. “Dependability, integrity, the characteristic of never knowingly doing anything wrong, that you would never cheat anyone, that you would give everybody a fair deal. Character is sort of an all inclusive thing. If a man has character everyone has confidence in him. Soldiers must have confidence in their leader.” General Omar N. Bradley
7. “Great leaders clarify expectations, roles, and responsibilities. They take action when issues arise, rewarding results, not activity. ” General John E. Michel 
8. “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.” Dwight D. Eisenhower
9. “I would place character as the absolutely number one requirement in leadership. By character, I mean primarily integrity. A man whose superiors and, even more important, whose subordinates can depend upon that leader taking action based on honesty and judgment. If he does not base his action on honor, he is worthless as a leader.” General J. Lawton Collins
10. “Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well-tried before you give them your confidence.”  George Washington
11. “I would put character way up on the list. If you want to select an officer for your command you want one who is confident of his abilities, who is loyal and who has good character. It is the man of good character that I am going to seek out. There are a lot of good people who know the ‘smart’ way of getting things done, but they also ride roughshod over people that they are supposed to be working with. I don’t want that.” General Mark Clark
12. “Leadership is the art of inspiring people to enthusiastically take action toward the achievement of uncommon goals.” Col John R. Boyd, USAF
13. “There are many qualities that go into a man of sterling character. I don’t know how to break it down. A man of high character has integrity, he is honest, he is reliable, he is straightforward in dealing with people. He is loyal to his family, his friends, his superiors.” General William H. Simpson
14. “Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”  General George S. Patton
15. “The moral is to the physical as three to one.” Napoleon Bonaparte
16.  “No man is justified in doing evil on the ground of expediency.” Theodore Roosevelt
17. “History shows that weakness is provocative.”  Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
18. “I get accused all the time of using the word integrity when I mean character and character when I mean integrity. I think character is everything in leadership. It is what we try to build in all our young officers. It means the truth to me. That’s the only way I can put it. To stand up and tell the truth and not be in the gray areas.” General Jacob Devers
19. “A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.” Douglas McArthur
20. “Experts often possess more data than judgment.” Colin Powell

My favorites are #7, #9 and #15. How about yours? 

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

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.

There is no doubt a link exists between generosity and trust. One of the great testaments to this can be found in a video produced by a surgeon named Mario Alonso Puig. But many people forget that building trust not only requires reciprocity but also a healthy balance between favors and greed.

In my current work, many of my professional contacts are very generous with their time, as am I. In fact, over the years (trust takes time and is built in incremental steps) we have built reciprocal relationships that are win/win for everyone in this growing circle, and often without the words “trust-building” ever being mentioned.

But as Trust Across America-Trust Around the World’s audience and network has grown, we have fallen victim to what I call the “favor phenomenon”, those “simple requests” usually (but not always) from virtual strangers that flood our daily inbox:

1. Will you endorse my book?

2. Can I be a guest on your radio show?

3. Can you make an introduction to __________?

4. Can you help me raise money?

5. Can you get me a speaking engagement?

6. Will you come to my conference and pay to do so?

7. Will you donate to my charity?

8. Will you follow me on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn?

Can you, will you, can you, will you? One pattern I’ve noticed is these folks, more often than not, have never engaged with us in the past, and may be the same people who claim to be “very busy.” So busy, in fact, that they have no time to build relationships.

Imagine how much faster trust might be built if these “favor askers” lead with trust!

1. I’ve read your book and just wrote an endorsement for you on Amazon.

2. I know of a media opportunity that I believe would be a perfect fit for you.

3. I would like to introduce you to _____________.

4. I want to donate to your cause.

5. I think you would be the perfect speaker at this event.

6. Please be my guest at my conference.

7. I’d like to make a donation to your favorite charity.

8. I follow you on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and have spent time familiarizing myself with the work you do. Here’s an example of your work that resonates with me.

And by the way, would you mind doing a small favor for me?

So why doesn’t this happen more often? Because most people, in their all-consuming quest to “get” something that provides a short-term benefit ONLY to themselves, also forget (or never learned) that:

• Leading with trust is essential in every healthy relationship, be it personal or business
• Trust is reciprocal
• Trust takes time to build.

It’s quite simple and certainly not rocket science. Try it. The long-term benefits 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, and runs the world’s largest membership program for those interested in the subject. 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.

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 building trust from the world’s greatest leaders, teachers, writers and philosophers?

JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING

We recently highlighted:

•  John Wooden’s greatest quotes on building trust
•  John Maxwell’s greatest quotes on building trust
•  Zig Ziglar’s greatest quotes on building trust and
•  Mahtma Gandhi’s greatest quotes on building trust.

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day so this week we turn our attention to Theodor Seuss Geisel (affectionately known as Dr. Seuss) an American writer and cartoonist. Dr. Seuss published 46 children’s books and for many mothers, including myself, hours were spent reading these books to our children and conveying many life lessons along the way. This article pulls together twenty of his most inspiring quotes. Regardless of your role in life- a parent, teacher, business or religious leader, our beloved Dr. Seuss has a message about character, competency and consistency, the key ingredients for building trust.

If you are a Mom, buy yourself a Dr. Seuss book for Mother’s Day and share it with your kids. It may just be a gift of a lifetime.

1. “Today I shall behave, as if this is the day I will be remembered.”
2. “It is better to know how to learn than to know.”
3. “With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.”
4. “You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. but mostly they’re darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?”
5. “Nothing is going to change, unless someone does something soon”
6. “Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”
7. “You’ll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut.”
8. “I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant’s faithful one-hundred percent!”
9. “I’m afraid that sometimes you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ’cause you’ll play against you.”
10. “Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!”
11. “Why fit in when you were born to stand out?”
12. “Only you can control your future.”
13. “You can get help from teachers, but you are going to have to learn a lot by yourself, sitting alone in a room.”
14. “I know, up on top you are seeing great sights, but down here at the bottom we, too, should have rights.”
15. “It’s not about what it is, it’s about what it can become.”
16. “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
17. “Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope.”
18. “ASAP. Whatever that means. It must mean, ‘Act swiftly awesome pacyderm!”
19. “Oh, the things you can find if you don’t stay behind!”
20. “You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.”

My favorites are #5, #6 and #20. How about yours? 

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

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