The one thing that changes everything
This is a book review: The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey.
Why the speed of trust is a must-read
It is a must read for everyone because in it, Covey tells us the one thing that changes everything. We are all searching for the secret to life. And this is it: TRUST. I promise you will be inspired by, and learn from, just the quotes in the beginning. Read the forward and the quotes and you will have learned enough. But you will of course want to learn more so you will keep going.
Here is the opening paragraph:
"There is one thing that is common to every individual, relationship, team, family, organization, nation, economy, the most influential leadership, the greatest friendship, the strongest character, the deepest love. If developed, it has the potential to create unparalleled success and prosperity in every dimension of life. Yet, it is the least understood, most neglected, and most underestimated possibility of our time."
I know, right? You want more don't you? I did.
What you will learn
My book is dog-eared, highlighted, underlined, stickied...more than any other book I've read. (Actually, there is one that might be a bit more marked up, but that is for another post.) I had to take breaks while reading this to think about, reflect on, and process what I'd just read.
Low trust is the greatest cost in life and in organizations
Low trust creates hidden agendas, politics, interpersonal conflict, interdepartmental rivalries, win-lose thinking, defensive and protective communication
Low trust slows everything - every decision, every communication, and every relationship
And you will learn:
Trust produces results
Results build brand loyalty
Results inspire and fire up a winning culture
Consistent production of results not only causes customers to increase their orders, it keeps them coming back for more
Results win the confidence of practical-minded executives and workforces
Trust begins with the individual. And trust can be re-built if it is lost. It is the key competency. It is the differentiator. And as such, it should be non-negotiable.
Covey doesn't just speak anecdotally or philosophically about trust. This is not a touchy-feely book. This is a practical guide to building trust in all areas of your life. And he makes you think. How trustworthy are you?
You have likely worked in companies where you can say the wrong thing and people will still get your meaning. And you have likely worked in companies where you can say the wrong thing and be ruined for it.
In which organization was there trust?
The 5 waves of trust
The book goes into detail about the 5 waves of trust and how to build them:
individual (through credibility)
relationship (through consistent behavior)
organizational (through alignment)
market (through reputation)
You will learn about the cost of 'trust taxes' and the value of 'trust dividends'.
The Trust Formula
You will learn formulas like:
Low Trust = Decreased Speed + Increased Cost
High Trust = Increased Speed + Decreased Cost
and the hidden variable which is RESULTS.
Check this out: (STRATEGY + EXECUTION) x TRUST = Results
Since this is just a review and not a reprint, let’s stop here. Everyone could stand to have a little more trust in their personal and professional lives – so read the book because you are worth it.
Nothing is as fulfilling, as inspiring, as profitable, nor has more influence, than trust.
It truly is the one thing that changes everything. Trust me - actually, trust Stephen M.R. Covey.
You can find more resources from The Speed of Trust here.
If you read the post on A practical approach to solving every leader's #1 challenge - executing for results, I’m sure you can see how trust, or lack of it, can be the foundation for many of those barriers – so let’s remove lack of Trust as a barrier and make high Trust a key differentiator.
