Tip 672: The Need for Trust

From the Ethics and Values Workshops: The Need for Trust

In two recent workshops, the subject of trust has come up. The need for trust and the lack of trust.

Stephen M. R. Covey—the son of the Seven Habits Stephen Covey—has written The Speed of Trust and offers these numbers: 

• Only 51 percent of employees have trust and confidence in senior management.

• Only 36 percent of employees believe their leaders act with honesty and integrity.

• Over the past twelve months, 76 percent of employees have observed illegal or unethical conduct on the job which, if exposed, would seriously violate the public trust. (Trust, page 11)

Covey explains when trust goes down, work slows down and costs go up. When trust goes up, work speeds up and costs go down.

Simply put, trust means confidence. The opposite of trust— distrust—is suspicion. 

When you trust people, you have confidence in them—in their integrity, their agenda, their capabilities, or their track record. It’s that simple. (Trust, page 5) 

It’s an excellent book. It’s not an easy read, but it’s worthwhile. We recommend you find a copy and study it. Read it with a highlighter and a pencil. Mark the passages you find interesting. Make notes in the margins. 

As times grow more difficult, more will depend on the trust we have in our leaders, our co-workers, and our subordinates. 

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