Are You Trustworthy?

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Yesterday as part of a Buffalo Niagara Leadership business event, I attended a day long conference on The Speed of Trust. Keynote speaker: Stephen M.R. Covey.

Covey's summaries about trust:

The 4 Cores of Credibility:
Integrity - Congruency in values, beliefs and behaviors, deep honesty, humility and courage.(make and keep commitments, stand for something, be open)

Intent - Seeking mutual benefit, Acting in others' best interests, genuine concern and caring for others (examine your motives, open your agenda, choose abundance)

Capabilities - the capacities we have that inspire confidence, our ability to produce and accomplish tasks: talents, attitudes, skills,knowledge and style (run with your strengths, keep yourself relevant, know where you're going)

Results- our track record pas and present, getting the right things done, accomplishing the desired objectives. (take responsibility, expect to win, finish strong)

The 13 Behaviors That Accomplish Trust:
First 5 are Character:

Talk Straight - be honest, let people know where you stand, call things the way they are, demonstrate integrity, don't "spin" the truth, don't leave false impressions

Demonstrate Respect - show you care, respect the dignity of every person and every role

Create Transparency - tell the truth, err on the side of disclosure, don't have hidden agendas, operate on "what you see is what you get", don't hide information

Right Wrongs - make things right when you're wrong, don't cover things up, don't let personal pride get in the way of doing the right thing

Show Loyalty -give credit to others, speak about people as if they were in the room, represent others who aren't there to speak for themselves

Next 5 are Competencies

Deliver Results - establish a track record of results, get the right things done, make things happen, accomplish what you're hired to do

Get Better- continuously improve, increase your capabilities, act upon the feedback you receive, don't consider yourself above feedback, don't assume your knowledge and skills will be sufficient for tomorrow's challenges

Confront Reality - take issues head on even the "undiscussables: Address the tough stuff directly. Lead out courageously in conversation, don't skirt the issues, don't bury your head in the sand, confront the reality of the situation.

Clarify Expectations - disclose and reveal expectations, discuss them, Validate them. Renegotiate them if needed and possible, don't violate expectations

Practice Accountability - hold yourself accountable, hold others accountable,take responsibility for the results, don't avoid or shirk responsibility, don't blame or point fingers when things go wrong

The Last 3 Combine Character and Competencies

Listen first - Understand, Diagnose, Listen with your ears...your eyes and heart, find out what the most important behaviors are to the people you're working with, don't presume that you have all the answers - or all the questions

Keep Commitments - Say what you're going to do. Then do what you say you're going to do. Make commitments carefully and keep them at all costs, Make keeping commitments the symbol o f your honor, don't break confidences, don't attempt to "PR" your way out of a commitment you've broken.

Extend Trust - Demonstrate a propensity to trust, extend trust abundantly to those who have earned your trust. Extend trust conditionally to those earning your trust,

Trust Gaps
Self Trust - A Credibility gap
Relationship Trust - a Behavior gap
Organizational Trust- An alignment gap
Market Trust - A Reputation gap
Societal Trust - a Contribution gap

We are only one year into the process of funding the greenway and already the process exhibits trust gaps.

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• Article from Stephen M. R. Covey, author of The Speed of Trust by Rebecca (800ceoread.com)