The Speed of Trust

The Value of Trust

Trust is necessary to the credibility – and, therefore, the empowerment – of any organization, economy or human relationship. People who work in an atmosphere of trust can collaborate productively, so things get done faster and at lower cost. Without trust, however, business slows down and costs rise. When trust is absent, people keep trying to protect themselves against those whom they cannot trust. They insist on getting everything in writing because they cannot believe what people say and they engage in other steps whose only function is to compensate for lack of trust. The absence of trust is like a tax on a business. The presence of trust is like a dividend.

“Character and competence” underlie trust. Character includes integrity, motivation and the right attitude. Competence includes skills, capabilities, work habits and results or products. A competent yet dishonest person is untrustworthy; so is an honest but incompetent person. Trust can be built, broken and restored. Those who speak and act in ways that build trust pursue it as a distinct purpose. They are attuned to the “five waves of trust,” which move outward among people, like the...