{"id":4755,"date":"2020-05-05T08:25:34","date_gmt":"2020-05-05T12:25:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.trustacrossamerica.com\/blog\/?p=4755"},"modified":"2020-05-05T08:25:34","modified_gmt":"2020-05-05T12:25:34","slug":"trust-insights-week-18-robert-phillips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trustacrossamerica.com\/blog\/?p=4755","title":{"rendered":"Trust Insights Week #18: Robert Phillips"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n\"\"<\/a>Robert, thank you for participating in our 2020 Trust Insights series. What is your trust insight?<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Trust is not a message; it\u2019s an outcome \u2013 and trust may not even be the real issue.” <\/i>Robert Phillips<\/p>\n

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Can you expand a bit on this timely insight?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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For way too long, \u201ctrust\u201d has been hijacked by communications consultancies and strategy firms, who see\/ position the trust \u201cissue\u201d and how to address it as a function of what the organisations says, rather than what it does. They sell strategies and programmes accordingly. \u00a0Together with reliance on some dodgy data, this leads to a bogus and corrosive narrative around trust: often creating a false sense of (global) crisis. This masks more profound issues and challenges and many cultural and political nuances. <\/i><\/p>\n

Organisations would do better by focusing on their own behaviours and on the real issues (including the climate emergency and tech disruption) that lead to better outcomes for employees, customers and stakeholders. Furthermore, trustworthiness is a more relevant construct than \u201ctrust\u201d. Trustworthiness is a function of Honesty + Competence + Reliability + Good. It is undermined by self-interest, especially where such self-interest is not transparently declared.
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Can you provide a real life example of a trust \u201cchallenge\u201d where your insight has been effectively applied.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The Global Responsible Tax Project curated by Jericho Chambers for KPMG, has been running since 2014. Based on organising principles of activism, participation, accountability and dissent, it now hosts a community of 1700 experts, built peer-to-peer, from the Global North to Global South and across the political spectrum \u2013 including corporate leaders; advisors; politicians and policy-makers; activists, NGOs and campaigners; academics and experts; media and the commentariart. This global coalition has worked together to develop new policy ideas and recommendations \u2013 leading to more trust between all parties and better policy outcomes for the common good. It\u2019s starting point was that any solution to global tax problems were better served by addressing the purpose of tax, than communications and lobbying around the issues, and that no-one has all the answers. Tax is trust, write large \u2013 as this article<\/a> brings to life.
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Generally, do you think the global “trust” climate is improving or worsening? What actions are making it better or worse?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

IpsosMORI long-term veracity data would suggest that trust remains in a chronic condition. The so-called \u201ccrisis of trust\u201d masks a more profound crisis of leadership \u2013 in business and in politics. A failure to address the leadership issue will only prolong and never resolve the current condition.<\/i><\/div>\n
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Many claim we have a crisis of trust. Do you agree?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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No, although a recognition of the chronic condition (see above) is important, as is a determination to do something about it.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Robert, thank you so much for your time and more importantly for your commitment to elevating organizational trust. What would you like our audience to know about you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Robert has been at the forefront of the UK Public Relations industry for three decades. His expert area is the relationship between communications, leadership and trust.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Robert\u2019s 2015 book\u00a0Trust Me, PR is Dead<\/a>\u00a0was heralded by\u00a0Management Today\u00a0as \u201ca game-changer for the future of communications\u201d. His often-outspoken views have been described as \u201cessential for anyone who wants to influence and persuade in the mid-21st<\/sup>\u00a0century\u201d. Since 2014, Robert has helped build coalitions across business, government and civil society on subjects ranging from Responsible Tax to the Future of Work; Adult Social Care to the Future of Transport; Infrastructure and Housing to the Built Environment. Robert advocates new operating principles based on activism, accountability, co-production and dissent.<\/i><\/p>\n

Robert is Founder of\u00a0Jericho Chambers<\/a>\u00a0and Visiting Professor at Cass Business School, City, University of London. He was formerly CEO, Europe, Middle East & Africa for Edelman \u2013 the world\u2019s largest Public Relations firm – and Global Chair of its Future Strategies & Public Engagement Group. He co-founded JCPR in 1987 \u2013 described by\u00a0PR Week\u00a0as \u201cthe seminal consumer brands consultancy of the Nineties and Noughties\u201d \u2013 which he sold to Edelman in 2004. Two of Robert\u2019s campaigns, for Wonderbra and PlayStation, were included in the Top 20 PR Campaigns of All Time.<\/i><\/p>\n

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Before you leave, Tap Into Trust<\/a> and complete our 1 minute\/1 question quiz. Find out how the level of trust in your workplace compares to hundreds of others.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Have you reviewed how our workshops<\/a> are helping teams and organizations just like yours elevate trust? Schedule an ONLINE webinar today.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Did you miss our previous 2020 Trust Insights? Access them at this link<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Contact us for more information on elevating trust on your team or in your organization or email me directly: barbara@trustacrossamerica.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Copyright 2020, Next Decade, Inc.<\/p>\n