Skill Builder: Archived Page

December 7, 2009

The Speed of Trust

Covey's book The Speed of Trust breathes HOPE! One begins to feel optimistic and inspired that regardless of the situation or low levels of trust, every person can become an active agent in establishing or restoring trust and in rebuilding relationships.

What is trust?

Trust is both a noun and a verb and can have several meanings. Covey's definition of trust is confidence in the character (who we are) and the competence (strengths and the results produced) of a person or organization. The opposite of trust is suspicion.

Why does the definition of trust include both character and competence?

Generally, being trustworthy and having a good character go hand in hand. Trusting someone who isn't seen as being of good character is too risky. The more suspect we might be of one's character, the less confident we are in their trust. On the other hand, our confidence in one's competence, while necessary, is situational. For example, one might trust their co-worker because of her good character, but they wouldn't trust her to perform surgery on them unless she was a trained surgeon.

In the world of work, trust is not just "nice to have." It's essential. Traditionally, trust has been seen as a character issue only, a soft subject, something that you either have or you don't. Covey focuses on changing that perception. He delineates that trust is also a competence issue and a hard subject with a bottom-line impact. Furthermore, Covey emphasizes that building trust is a skill you can learn.

Credibility and trust in one's work and life begin with each individual. Covey states that trust flows from the inside out, not from the outside in. One might believe that the credibility of their organization is outside their control. While the credibility of their organization might be outside their control, it is not beyond each individual's influence.

Like a water drop in a pool, one's own personal trustworthiness has a ripple effect on all relationships, whether on one's team, one's organization, or perceptions from others on the outside.

Self-trust starts with the confidence we have in ourselves: in our ability to set and achieve goals, keep commitments, walk our talk, and inspire trust in others. The whole idea is to become, both to ourselves and to others, a person who is worthy of trust. The key principle here is credibility, which comes from the Latin root credere, meaning to believe.

Reflection

In thinking about your own trustworthiness, reflect upon the following questions:

When you reflect upon Covey's definition of trust, might you include yourself as someone who is trustworthy? Might you consider yourself to be a credible or believable person? How might others feel about your trustworthiness?
What are some ways in which trust, or a lack of trust, affects you personally? Your work? Your team or organization?
Why might it be important to start with yourself in building your own personal credibility?

Covey, S. (2006). The SPEED of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything. New York: Free Press.

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