The trust “imperative.”
We read about it daily. We listen to it on the news. We attend conferences where it’s discussed.
We must build trust….we must rebuild trust… in business, financial services, government, policing, media, sports, etc.
But rarely is there mention of the requisite leadership traits, culture change, or practical solutions essential to building trust.
Why is that?
The answer is simpler than you might think.
Building or rebuilding organizational trust cannot happen unless ownership of trust is voluntarily assumed by the person at the very top of the organization. And this rarely occurs because:
- Boards do not place criteria like integrity or other components of high trust on their leadership hiring agenda
- Leaders are too busy putting out fires created by their refusal to build trust into their business strategy
- Leaders are preparing for the next crisis instead of learning what’s required to avoid or minimize them
- Leaders are ensuring that all the regulations are being met by hiring more compliance and legal staff instead of a Chief Trust Officer
- Leaders seldom come out of their ivory tower and on to the shop floor to build trust with their employees who were not necessarily hired for the “right” reasons.
There is simply no time in the day left for trust.
Instead, trust is taken for granted or occasionally used in marketing and communications as a “tool” to persuade consumers.
Until leaders readily accept the business case for trust, it is destined to always take a back seat in most organizations, and trust will continue it’s year over year decline.
Richard Branson, author and founder of Virgin Group is credited with this quote: “The most valuable business commodity is trust.”
There is simply no point in talking about trust if it is not followed by action.
You can read about organizations that have placed trust on their agenda in the upcoming edition of TRUST! Magazine to be published on April 17. It is our celebration of trustworthy organizations.
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 2015 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.
Copyright 2015, Next Decade, Inc.
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