Organizational Trust: The Principle of Alignment 12/112/17

Organizational Trust: The Principle of Alignment* Covey's description of organizational trust reads like an explanation of the principals of Mission Command. In the business world "alignment" means that all elements of the organization are goal focused, in the Army we say with the mission or the commander's intent. High-trust organizations: share information openly, tolerate mistakes as a way of learning, seek innovation and creativity, talk straight and confront real issues, reward candid and authentic communication and hold themselves/others accountable for results. People who are part of high-trust organizations love their work and are proud to tell you about it. The book has a self-test that helps you assess if your organization as high or low trust. Low trust organizations pay a "tax" on all they do (Clausewitz might have called this added fog or friction), but high trust organizations increase in value, accelerate growth, enhance innovation, improve collaboration, strengthen partnerships, execute better and get heightened loyalty. As you can tell, many of these principals are essentially identical to the ones we say we follow in the Army but (to adapt a phrase) all leadership is local. We all have the opportunity/responsibility to build trust since all of us are part of different circles of influence and the principals of alignment apply to all of these contexts; unit, family, church, softball team, etc. The power of a team is truly greater than the sum of its parts and the principal of alignment harnesses the power of teams.

Relationship Trust: The Principle of Behavior 12/8/17

Relationship Trust: The Principle of Behavior* Learning to consistently behave in ways that build trust, and avoid ways that destroy trust, is the principal of relationship trust. These behaviors are timeless, actionable and universal across cultures. Covey focuses on 13 primary behaviors that impact trust between individuals. If you want people to trust you, these behaviors (not words only) will help you. Remember your trust "account" is different with each person and the impact of "deposits and withdrawls," what may be a deposit for one person may be a withdrawl for someone else, also varies. This is partly because any behavior done poorly (too little or too much) can be taken differently. Each behavior also has a "counterfeit" so if you are not sincere it can actually backfire. The 13 behaviors are: Talk Straight, Demonstrate Respect, Create Transparency, Right Wrongs, Show Loyalty, Deliver Results, Get Better, Confront Reality, Clarify Expectations, Practice Accountability, Listen First, Keep Commitments and Extend Trust. Trust is elemental to all relationships and building trust is a key leader capability. Leaders who can build teams who trust each other are valuable in the Army, in the community and in the home. Both the book and the Strong Bonds curriculum cover these behaviors in great detail including: tips on how to practice each behavior, how to find the "sweet spot" so that you strike the right balance and how to spot and avoid counterfeit behavior.** (Note: This thumbnail summary covers 105 pages in the book. You won't get the real benefit of these behaviors from my "cliff notes" summary).