I recently read a very powerful book that I highly recommend, "The Speed of Trust" by Stephen M. R. Covey, in this book the author describes one of the most important but least understood business qualities, trust.
Trust is a fundamental quality that we all need to apply in our business, whether it is to trust an employee with a task or a vendor's ability to deliver on time.
Covey describes a direct correlation between Trust and productivity: As trust goes up, speed goes up and costs go down, conversely as trust goes down, speed decreases and costs rise. Covey gives an example of the airline industry post-911 where trust of passengers went down and that caused the time one spends in the airport to go up and ticket costs to rise.
Trust only comes with credibility and there are four cores to credibility: 1) Integrity, 2) Intent (motives), 3) Capability, and 4) Results (Track Record). The first two Integrity and Intent are both Character qualities, while Capability and Results are both a matter of competence.
As Christians business people we are called to the highest standard of character, but a Christian character can be summarized by Matthew 5:37 where Jesus says, "yes be yes and our no be no". The core principles of competence can be surmised in Luke 12:48, "to whom much is given much is required." As Christians we need to be forthright in our business transaction as a manner or character and responsible for delivering what we have promised as an example of our competence.
Covey then goes on to describe 13 behaviors associated with trust, the first five are linked to character, the next five with competence and the last three are qualities of both character and competence:
I. Character:
1. Talk Straight: Be honest in action, tell the trust and leave the right impression. The opposite of honest is lying, or spinning the truth. Proverbs 16:21 " Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth.
2. Demonstrate Respect: The Golden Rule-" Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Matthew 7:12. Bottom line is act in Fairness, Kindness and love. The opposite is Disrespect and the counterfeit is showing respect only to those that can help you.
3. Create Transparency: Opposite is hiding of failing to disclose. Having a hidden agenda. " He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him." Daniel 2:22
4. Right Wrongs: Based out of humility. We see Christ doing this often in the Bible. The opposite is ego or pride and being humbled only when found out. The counterfeit is a person that hides or covers up their wrongs. This has a double tax the first when you make the wrong and the second when you cover it up.
5. Show Loyalty: a) Give credit to others, the opposite is to take credit from others b) speak of others as if they are in the room. The opposite it to sell people out, the counterfeit is to sweet mouth to a persons face but bad mouth them behind their backs. "He who pursues righteousness and loyalty Finds life, righteousness and honor." Proverbs 21:21
II. Competence:
6. Deliver Results: The counterfeit is to look busy or deliver activity. "bearing fruit in every good work" Colossians 1:10
7. Get Better: Learning or continuously improving. The opposite is entropy, the counterfeit is always learning and never producing (i.e. the constant student). "He who walks with the wise grows wise" Proverbs 13:20
8. Confront Reality: Name the elephant in the room. it takes courage and responsibility, the opposite is to bury your head in the Sand, the opposite is to act like your confronting but actually skirt around the issue. " Be strong and courageous. " Deuteronomy 21:6
9. Clarify Expectations: Behavior of prevention. The opposite is assume expectations, counterfeit is smoke and mirrors, and to fail to nail down specifics.
10. Practice Accountability: Stewardship. opposite is not owning up and the counterfeit it to blame others.
III. Character and Competence:
11. Listen First: Understanding. The opposite is to speak first and listen last, this is all about your agenda. the counterfeit is to pretend your listening and instead of listening spend the time thinking of what you wan to say next.
12. Keep Commitments: It is the quickest way to trust and the opposite is the quickest way to loose trust.
13. Extend Trust: Trust as a noun to trust as as verb. When you trust, others will trust you. It is the principle of empowerment and reciprocity. The opposite is to withhold trust and the counterfeit is a) false trust: trust with no authority b) fake trust: where Big Brother is snooping on the person making sure they are doing a good job.
Covey describes a direct correlation between Trust and productivity: As trust goes up, speed goes up and costs go down, conversely as trust goes down, speed decreases and costs rise. Covey gives an example of the airline industry post-911 where trust of passengers went down and that caused the time one spends in the airport to go up and ticket costs to rise.
Trust only comes with credibility and there are four cores to credibility: 1) Integrity, 2) Intent (motives), 3) Capability, and 4) Results (Track Record). The first two Integrity and Intent are both Character qualities, while Capability and Results are both a matter of competence.
As Christians business people we are called to the highest standard of character, but a Christian character can be summarized by Matthew 5:37 where Jesus says, "yes be yes and our no be no". The core principles of competence can be surmised in Luke 12:48, "to whom much is given much is required." As Christians we need to be forthright in our business transaction as a manner or character and responsible for delivering what we have promised as an example of our competence.
Covey then goes on to describe 13 behaviors associated with trust, the first five are linked to character, the next five with competence and the last three are qualities of both character and competence:
I. Character:
1. Talk Straight: Be honest in action, tell the trust and leave the right impression. The opposite of honest is lying, or spinning the truth. Proverbs 16:21 " Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth.
2. Demonstrate Respect: The Golden Rule-" Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Matthew 7:12. Bottom line is act in Fairness, Kindness and love. The opposite is Disrespect and the counterfeit is showing respect only to those that can help you.
3. Create Transparency: Opposite is hiding of failing to disclose. Having a hidden agenda. " He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him." Daniel 2:22
4. Right Wrongs: Based out of humility. We see Christ doing this often in the Bible. The opposite is ego or pride and being humbled only when found out. The counterfeit is a person that hides or covers up their wrongs. This has a double tax the first when you make the wrong and the second when you cover it up.
5. Show Loyalty: a) Give credit to others, the opposite is to take credit from others b) speak of others as if they are in the room. The opposite it to sell people out, the counterfeit is to sweet mouth to a persons face but bad mouth them behind their backs. "He who pursues righteousness and loyalty Finds life, righteousness and honor." Proverbs 21:21
II. Competence:
6. Deliver Results: The counterfeit is to look busy or deliver activity. "bearing fruit in every good work" Colossians 1:10
7. Get Better: Learning or continuously improving. The opposite is entropy, the counterfeit is always learning and never producing (i.e. the constant student). "He who walks with the wise grows wise" Proverbs 13:20
8. Confront Reality: Name the elephant in the room. it takes courage and responsibility, the opposite is to bury your head in the Sand, the opposite is to act like your confronting but actually skirt around the issue. " Be strong and courageous. " Deuteronomy 21:6
9. Clarify Expectations: Behavior of prevention. The opposite is assume expectations, counterfeit is smoke and mirrors, and to fail to nail down specifics.
10. Practice Accountability: Stewardship. opposite is not owning up and the counterfeit it to blame others.
III. Character and Competence:
11. Listen First: Understanding. The opposite is to speak first and listen last, this is all about your agenda. the counterfeit is to pretend your listening and instead of listening spend the time thinking of what you wan to say next.
12. Keep Commitments: It is the quickest way to trust and the opposite is the quickest way to loose trust.
13. Extend Trust: Trust as a noun to trust as as verb. When you trust, others will trust you. It is the principle of empowerment and reciprocity. The opposite is to withhold trust and the counterfeit is a) false trust: trust with no authority b) fake trust: where Big Brother is snooping on the person making sure they are doing a good job.
Now that we understand the Business principles of trust, do we understand the spiritual principles and how do we apply this to our lives? How do we trust ourselves? How does God trust us? How do we learn to trust God in our businesses?
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