Long before "values" and "character" became the dominant themes in presidential politics, a handful of business leaders discovered that ultimate success or failure was largely determined by the way they treated their stakeholders. In Built on Trust, Silicon Valley consultants Arthur Ciancutti and Thomas Steding contend that conscious creation of a true values-based enterprise--stemming directly from an open and honest environment of mutual trust--will produce the kind of effective and enduring competitive advantage that popular "management programs du jour" never could. With the help of two fictional companies that employ different operational philosophies, the authors show exactly how such an approach might work and how it can be put into place appropriately in various corporate settings. The centerpiece of their plan is the flexible Trust Model, which addresses both individual and organizational needs. Ciancutti and Steding detail its implementation from creation to buy-in and maintenance. They also include specific objectives and helpful tools, including a self-assessment questionnaire along with step-by-step directions. This easily absorbed book fully describes the formulation of a program that can realistically reflect the beliefs and needs of an organization. It also shows that the organization can continue to meet the program's individualized guidelines over the long haul. --Howard Rothman
"Authentic trust can transform the work experience . . . and give you a competitive advantage you couldn't get any other way." -- From the Introduction to
Built on Trust Imagine arriving at work tomorrow morning and discovering that your employees have stopped gossiping and started speaking up about their ideas and concerns, completing tasks on time, and conducting productive meetings. Sound like a dream? This is the reality at leadership organizations around the world. When people trust one another, the negative energy generated by their fear, frustration, and suspicion turns into a positive force for innovation, growth, and change. The authors of
Built on Trust invite you to start building your culture of trust today based on their simple, time-tested Trust Model. Results will follow quickly. The authors have discovered that people are willing to trust once explicit guidelines are in place. If the Trust Model is followed faithfully, your organization will become more innovative and self-starting. Your rewards are:
- Greater efficiency self-regulation
- Inspired performance from loyal teams
- Increased capacity for a wide range of ideas
- Deeper meaning and stronger relationships
- Enduring competitive advantage
Built on Trust helps you wade through muck, the frustration and anxiety that are part of too many working relationships. You'll be given the clues to muck, insight into its causes, and detailed advice on how to turn this sludge into fertilizer. You will be able to design guidelines for a trust culture that supports your values and mission. Based on two simple but essential components, closure and commitment, the Trust Model eliminates uncertainty about who is going to do what and when and puts an end to promises that are made to be broken. When people understand exactly what's required of them and can count on others to keep their commitments, they become open to other trust model principles.
Built on Trust reminds leaders that everyone has a passionate desire to contribute and a natural inclination to give.
Built on Trust helps you set an emotional direction for your organization that creates "win-win" experiences consistently for your employees, customers, and shareholders.
Built on Trust helps you establish a culture of trust within your organization--quickly and permanently. The Trust Model helps you achieve extraordinary levels of satisfaction among employees, customers, and shareholders. Discover how to eliminate fear and greed, gossip and buzzing, and muck. Learn how to encourage 100 percent closure, commitment, sound risk, and open communication. Targeting both the culture within companies as well as the perception from outside, Silicon Valley business consultants Arky Ciancutti and Tom Steding will help you identify the qualities that make for a trustworthy organization and then show how that knowledge can be used to make changes closer to home. Written with wit and energy and filled with anecdotes from their various top-level clients--Yahoo!, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Boeing, Chevron, Nortel, and Bank of America among others--
Built on Trust is an entertaining and informative read that can be absorbed over the weekend and implemented Monday morning!