There are myriad business books in the market providing advice on every element of running a successful business. I have read a few of them, and only a handful has had the impact on my thinking more than
The Speed of Trust. I had to read that book as part of a training for my former corporate employer. It was an easy read, and I fully bought into its overarching message:
“There is one thing that is common to every individual, relationship, team, family, organization, nation, economy, and civilization throughout the world – one thing which, if removed, will destroy the most powerful government, the most successful business, the most thriving economy, the most influential leadership, the greatest friendship, the strongest character, the deepest love.
"On the other hand, if developed and leveraged, that one thing has the potential to create unparalleled success and prosperity in every dimension of life. Yet, it is the least understood, most neglected, and most underestimated possibility of our time.
"That one thing is trust.”
Our Clients, employees, and vendors at
AlphaGraphics Tri-Cities - Atlanta Airport all make choices every day to trust and engage with my businesses. I want them to feel that making such a choice is the right thing to do for their own self-interests. To do so, here is what I strive to do:
Clients:
- Follow up and follow through
- Be transparent on pricing
- Demonstrate expertise on products and services
- Deliver what we agreed to produce by when we agreed to do so
- Do the right thing when we fumble
Employees:
- Understand where they are personally and professionally
- Empower them to make decisions and take risks
- Enable them to learn and grow
- Help them achieve their goals
Vendors:
- Be crystal on what we need from them
- Respect their perspective and listen to their suggestions
- Pay their invoices in a timely fashion
I believe that being consistent in these actions will help build trust in my leadership within these critical stakeholders to my businesses’ success. I also know that slipping on one of these items could create problems that would have a direct impact on my bottom line.
So how do I know I am doing all the right things? Trust will manifest itself in repeat business from satisfied Clients, buy-in from my amazing teams, and responsiveness from vendor partners. I plan to track each of these markers to see how I am doing against my own driving principles.