Trust Across America-Trust Around the World™

Is your Board stuck in the SAC Rut- Show Up, Agree, Collect Check? 

A female acquaintance who has held C-Suite level corporate positions in the past, was recently talking to me about the multiple Board of Director seats she holds. I asked her about her degree of input at Board meetings. Her answer went something like this, “I show up, agree, collect my check and leave.” I pressed her a bit further. “What if you don’t agree? What if you have something to add to the discussion based on your own experiences? What if you want to challenge another board member?  Her answer was simply, “The more I just smile and agree, the better my chances are of getting on more Boards. It’s very lucrative and requires almost no work.” She then reminded me that she is a “hot commodity” as a former female senior executive.

Our August blog series, 31 Trust Tips For Boards & C-Suites provides guidance to boards on how to get out of the SAC Rut. There are another 69 essays in the book itself, Trust Inc., A Guide for Boards & C-Suites.

High-trust organizations with high-trust Boards are rewarded with faster decision making, flourishing innovation, and accelerating growth and profitability.  And trust is built through:

• collaboration
• common goals
• cooperation
• competence
• candor
• connection
• challenging the status quo
• character
• caring
• compromise
• choices

And these are just the “C’s”!

Boards stuck in the SAC Rut get back exactly what they put in. They get back nothing and ALL the stakeholders suffer as a result. And unfortunately, the story told above is all too common.

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.

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Should you wish to communicate directly with Barbara, drop her a note at Barbara@trustacrossamerica.com

Copyright © 2014, Next Decade, Inc.

Should Inlaws be Outlawed?  This was the title of a recent blog post written by my friend Erris Klapper. For those of you who may not know Erris, her blog is a well-written and thoughtful commentary, primarily focused on the trials and tribulations of baby boomers and their families, as well as coverage of other timely topics.

Erris believes that the two root causes of (in-law) contention are elevated levels of expectation and differences in upbringing.

Doesn’t the same apply to the Board/CEO relationship, leader/manager/employee relationship, or any relationship for that matter?

And like in-laws, in most business environments controversy could be avoided and trust could be built if time were invested early in the relationship to:

• Explore common ground by discussing respective upbringing
• Discuss goals and values
• Map out a course for the future
• Determine how disagreements will be handled.

Whether you are about to be married, or about to begin a new job or hire a new employee, invest the time to work through the four steps above. Building trust early in any relationship will pay off handsomely in the long-run.

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.

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Should you wish to communicate directly with Barbara, drop her a note at Barbara@trustacrossamerica.com

Copyright © 2014, Next Decade, Inc.

Companies talk about the importance of building customer loyalty and trust, but invariably a headline like this gets in the way:

Mimicking the Airlines Hotels Get Fee Happy

and the public quickly realizes that the “talk” is insincere and deceptive and the race to the bottom of the trust barrel continues.

Who in the C-Suite decided that the way to build trust with customers was to tack on extra charges wherever possible, or to mimic an industry (airlines) with historically low trust and lousy customer service, replete with bankruptcies and consolidations? Why did you choose the airlines as your role model?

Corporate culture is determined by the Board and the CEO. Weak leadership produces weak culture. Apparently the hotel industry has its fair share of both.

While you are racing to the bottom, why not inscribe your “values” on the lobby wall at corporate headquarters:

Our 5 Pillars of Business:

• We have no long-term vision or leadership.
• Our culture is simply to maximize short-term profit at all costs.
• Our customers come last.
• We will nickel and dime them at every turn.
• We have no interest in building loyalty or trust.

I wish this article was a spoof, but it’s not. Where’s the trust? Where’s the love?

Fortunately, industry is not destiny. There are some great hotels who DO place customers first. If you are one of them, please email me at barbara@trustacrossamerica.com. I want to hear your story. I would love to blog about it.

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.

                                                                                                       Coming Soon!

Should you wish to communicate directly with Barbara, drop her a note at Barbara@trustacrossamerica.com

Copyright © 2014, Next Decade, Inc.

In business, it’s easy to just show up.

• Show up at a lunch
• Show up at a conference
• Show up at a meeting
• Show up at a webinar
• Pay your annual dues

And then leave….

The outcome of showing up is usually little ventured, and probably little gained. And then we move on to the next lunch, conference, meeting or webinar.

It’s much more difficult to be involved in the planning.

Because involvement in the planning requires a commitment:

• Of time
• Of thought
• Of teamwork

But it’s the participation in the planning stage that builds the trust. In planning, we engage with others who are working towards a common goal…. a positive outcome. And this is how trust is built. And trustworthy relationships lead to new business. They also take time to develop.

It’s your choice. Maintain your independence, show up and then leave. Get involved in the planning and build trust. Make the investment and the payoff may surprise you.

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.

                                                                                                       Coming Soon!

Should you wish to communicate directly with Barbara, drop her a note at Barbara@trustacrossamerica.com

Copyright © 2014, Next Decade, Inc.

A recent conversation with Doug Turner, one of our Trust Alliance members, ended with him sharing this photo he had taken.

 What a statement about society’s view of trust or distrust!

We all agree that society clearly requires trust in order to function. So who decided that signage like this was the “right” way to build that trust? What positive trust message is the reader of this sign expected to take away?

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.

                                                                                                Coming Soon!

Should you wish to communicate directly with Barbara, drop her a note at Barbara@trustacrossamerica.com

Copyright © 2014, Next Decade, Inc.

Ask most Americans which companies they trust and the same names will surface: Apple, Google, Amazon, and maybe even Walmart.

But when pressed as to why, the answer is usually something like this:

• I trust Apple because they have innovative products.
• I trust Google because their search feature is easy to use.
• I trust Amazon to deliver my packages very quickly.
• I trust Walmart to have the lowest prices.

So does this mean these companies should be trusted? Sounds more to me like we are talking about customer loyalty or brand loyalty and not so much about trust.

In fact, many would argue that these four are far from trustworthy.  Just ask Apple’s factory workers, Google’s privacy critics, Amazon’s publishers or Walmart’s suppliers what they think.

So let’s not generalize the word “trust.” If we are going to talk about it, we need to clarify what we really mean!

Earlier today I read the following article about how IBM can help Apple with its trust issues. It sheds a bit more light on the confusion between brand loyalty and trust.

And my friend Charlie Green recently wrote this blog post called If Trust Is So Far Down, How Come– which confirms the need to use the correct terminology.

What do you think? Do we have a definitional issue, and if so, how do we overcome it?

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.

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Should you wish to communicate directly with Barbara, drop her a note at Barbara@trustacrossamerica.com

Copyright © 2014, Next Decade, Inc.

What’s that expression….”Kids say the darnedest things?” Well so do adults.

Lately, I’ve heard and seen some great examples of trust-busting comments and actions. They generally fall into one of these categories:

• Bad-mouthing a coworker, colleague, competitor or better yet, your boss
• Placing blame before all the facts have been gathered
• Spinning the truth
• Speaking with “big” meaningless words (psychobabble)
• Crying wolf
• Taking undeserved credit
• Fast finger pointing
• Pleading the “5^th”
• Refusing to admit a mistake or apologize
• Pulling a “disappearing act” or  playing the “silence” game.

How many times in the course of a day do you sound or appear untrustworthy? Learn to think before you speak, and consider the potential consequences of your actions.  These are quick, easy and simple ways to build trust.

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.

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Should you wish to communicate directly with Barbara, drop her a note at Barbara@trustacrossamerica.com

Copyright © 2014, Next Decade, Inc.

“When a business that’s comfortable not having 100% market share happily recommends a competitor, they’re sending a signal about trust and confidence and most of all, about feeding the community first.” This is a quote from a recent Seth Godin blog post.

If you are an entrepreneur, small business owner or consultant interested in building trust, ask yourself these two questions:

Do I spend all of my time promoting myself only?

If your answer is “yes”, I can almost assure you that this strategy may work in the short-term, but will present serious challenges long-term. It  shows low self-confidence, an unwillingness to share and learn, and you will potentially bust trust with those you view (right or wrong) as competition.

Do I spend some of my time recommending others in my professional community who may have more targeted experience, resources or products, and will do a better job than I can?

If your answer is “yes,” you understand that trust is reciprocal and you are willing to take a “risk” that may pay off and lead to longer-term success. If we want to help ideas spread, if we want to change the world, we must do it together. Park your self-interest (along with your ego) at the door and try collaboration instead. The payoff may not be as quick and easy but the long-term rewards will be well worth it.

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series and the Executive Editor of TRUST! Magazine. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.

Should you wish to communicate directly with Barbara, drop her a note at Barbara@trustacrossamerica.com

Copyright © 2014, Next Decade, Inc.

September is “Thoughtful Conversation” Month

according to Trust Across America’s

2014 Calendar

Your stakeholders need not know the company’s trade secrets, or what the CEO had for dinner, but if your company is serious about increasing trustworthiness, consider engaging all your stakeholders in rich, thoughtful conversations. View them as vital contributors to a better organization.

During the  52 weeks of 2014 you can build trust in your organization by thinking about, discussing and following the advice of the experts. Below are weekly reflections on trust for September 2014.

• Week 1: Cooperation is the central mode of working, and mutual trust and true sustainability are our measures of success. Philip Mirvis, Organizational Psychologist

• Week 2: The capacity of brands to build trust among stakeholders depends on a company’s ability to build an army of advocates. Brian Moriarty, Business Roundtable Institute for Corporate Ethics

• Week 3: The level of organizational trust has a direct correlation with the top leader’s sincerity of purpose and values. Rajeev Peshawaria, The Iclif Leadership & Governance Centre, Malaysia

• Week 4: The crisis of trust is a crisis of leadership Robert Phillips, Jericho Chambers

• Week 5: We should always be moving to create high trust environments. Steven N. Pyser, JD, Temple University

Please share your comments and suggestions! Email: barbara@trustacrossamerica.com

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.

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Copyright © 2014, Next Decade, Inc.