Building Trust

How do you accelerate the level of trust in your organization? The short answer: with lots of reciprocity. People feel trust because they are rewarded in many different forms of currency: customers with excellent service and follow-up communication, employees with recognition for a job well done and interesting opportunities, to name a few. But those aren’t the whole picture.

The most important currency of trust in the light speed organization is access to information. As a leader, you need to let people know what’s going on. Employees and contractors need access to key information. W. L. Gore, the maker of Gore-Tex fabric, provides regular updates to employees on how the company is doing in meeting its goals. Among midsized companies, it’s consistently ranked number one in Fortune Magazine’s survey of best companies to work for. It’s also one of the most profitable.

Access to information also builds trust quickly with customers. Transparent pricing is one example. Some of the best automobile dealers build trust with their customers by being open about their pricing and profits. The internet giant eBay builds trust by providing tips on how to place the winning bid. Open source software builds trust by enabling developers open access to the code base. (Open source software is the fastest growing segment of software development. Why? It is capable of adapting at light speed.

Trust means that every employee, starting at the top, knows the organization’s core values, its vision, and the plans for getting there. Trust means that roles and responsibilities are clear, and that the rules for dealing with conflicts are well understood. Trust means holding people accountable for what they do and don’t do. In short, building trust through open communication is the quickest way to build bonds with employees, customers, and shareholders - and to accelerate your organization’s success.

Trust is the key, but it’s not the whole picture. Spark is critical to creating a light speed organization. Spark means people are having fun, being creative, and giving their best selves to the work. It is what makes coming to work a joy, not a burden.

By: systems

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