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If trust is, as many claim, the “issue of the decade,” why don’t organizations give the topic more attention? After all, the business case for trust<\/a> has been proven time and again. Perhaps it boils down to the simple question of who takes ownership?<\/p>\n In most companies, trust\u00a0is taken for granted until there is an “issue” and then trust is passed around like a hot potato.<\/p>\n Get the picture? Should I go on? <\/strong><\/p>\n Unfortunately,\u00a0in most organizations, no single person takes ownership and that’s why trust IS the issue of the decade. It’s that simple. Imagine running an organization without a Chief Financial Officer. How would the job get done?<\/p>\n So who should own trust? <\/strong><\/p>\n Very simply, the CEO. Trust starts at the top with leadership acknowledgement of its critical importance. Once that occurs, the CEO can delegate the job to a Chief Trust Officer, whose office must be within shouting distance of the CEO.\u00a0Imagine the first organization bold enough to hire a Chief Trust Officer? Did I just say “bold?” I meant smart and proactive.<\/p>\n What would the job entail? <\/strong><\/p>\n What would the job requirements be? <\/strong><\/p>\n Very simply character, courage, competence and consistency or put another way, values, integrity and promises kept. Not so different than the qualities of a great CEO! If the applicant happened to be a former cheerleader, that wouldn’t hurt either.<\/p>\n Who will be the first to step outside the “old school” box and hire a Chief Trust Officer? Who will be the first to dip their proverbial feet in the trust water?<\/p>\n Barbara Brooks Kimmel<\/strong>\u00a0is the Executive Director of\u00a0<\/span>Trust Across America-Trust Around the World<\/a>\u00a0whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning\u00a0<\/span>TRUST INC.<\/a>\u00a0book series and the Executive Editor of\u00a0<\/span>TRUST! Magazine<\/a>. In 2012 Barbara was named \u201cOne of 25 Women Changing the World\u201d by Good Business International. Leave a comment or send her a note at barbara@trustacrossamerica.com<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Copyright 2014 Next Decade, Inc.<\/p>\n\n
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