The visible cores of trust are what people are drawn to. Like a tree, they represent its trunk, branches, and leaves.

They include intent, capabilities, and results.

Upward core of trust – Intent

Intent involves having a genuine intention to do good and being sincere.

Indeed, it is important to have good intentions when engaging in any type of relationship, as it builds mutual trust and respect.

Moverover, resolve is about more than just keeping your word. Basically, it is about having the desire to help, and to do the right thing. As well, intent contributes to trust by demonstrating to others that you are reliable. As well, that you can be trusted, and that your words and actions are consistent and sincere.

Also, it helps to foster an environment of mutual trust and respect. As, it indicates that you are willing to put in the effort to build strong relationships.

Covey explains the importance of intent in building trust. As has been noted, he argues that intent is about more than just keeping one’s word. Consequently, it is about having the desire to help to do the right thing.

Accordingly, Covey also explains that having good intentions helps to build mutual trust and respect. It is as important to be deliberate with one’s intentions to ensure that one’s words and actions are consistent and sincere.

Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of having the right intentions to be credible and trustworthy, and to ensure that relationships are built on a foundation of trust.

Outward core of trust – Capabilities

Capabilities refer to the skills, abilities, and knowledge that an individual or organization has to fulfill their commitments.

Importantly, they build trust because they demonstrate that the individual or organization can be relied upon to carry out the tasks they are expected to do.

Undoubtedly, having the right skills and knowledge helps to ensure that the individual or organization can complete the task in a timely and efficient manner. As well, this can help build trust between the individual or organization and its customers, partners, or stakeholders.

Covey defines capability as the ability of an individual or organization to deliver on their promises.

Basically, this means that capability is not just about having the right skills and knowledge, but also about having the correct attitude.

Just as important is the commitment to follow through on what has been promised. In other words, capability is about being able to demonstrate trustworthiness in terms of delivering results.

Reflecting core of trust – Results

Results contribute to trust in a number of ways. Firstly, results show people that the organization is reliable and can deliver on its promises.

Also, results demonstrate that the organization has the necessary skills, knowledge and expertise to achieve the desired outcome.

Furthermore, results also provide evidence of the organization’s commitment to delivering the best possible outcomes for its stakeholders.

Finally, results provide the organization with a platform to share the successes and progress achieved. For this reason, they help to foster a culture of trust among its stakeholders.

According to Covey, results are an important part of trust. Results demonstrate an organization’s reliability and competence, and can provide evidence of the organization’s commitment to delivering the best possible outcomes for its stakeholders.

In conclusion, creating impact also helps to build a culture of trust among stakeholders, as they can see the progress being made and the successes being achieved. Additionally, results can help to reduce risk, as stakeholders will be more confident in the organization if they can see that it is capable of delivering on its promises.

* Written with assistance from You.com chat AI.

Have you ever wondered what the cores of trust might be? As outlined by Stephen Covey in his book The Speed of Trust, are integrity, intent, capability and results.

• Firstly, integrity relates to the honesty, reliability, and consistency of an individual or organization.
• Secondly, intent reflects the trustworthiness of an individual or organization’s motives.
• Thirdly, capability is the ability of an individual or organization to deliver on their promises.
• Finally, results are the evidence of trustworthiness, which often comes in the form of achievements and successes. Together, these four cores of trust form the basis of trustworthiness in any relationship.

To illustrate, the cores can be imaged like the oak tree in this photo. Below the surface, unseen, are the roots (integrity) that grow below the ground. Next, the first visible signs of the tree are its trunk (intent). Then we see its branches (capabilities). Finally, its leaves (results) are shown. Summarized, the four cores can be organized into two groups; character (integrity and intent), and competence (capabilities and results).

Anchor core of trust – Integrity

Going further, the point below describe the first core in greater detail.

Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles, as well as following through on commitments and promises. Additionally, it is essential in building trust because it allows people to have faith in each other and have confidence that the other party will act in an honest and ethical manner.

Honesty contributes to trust in several ways, including by demonstrating reliability and consistency, by displaying respect for others, and by fostering an environment of mutual trust and respect. Also, it helps to build trust by creating a sense of safety and security in a relationship, as it means that the other person is trustworthy and can be relied upon.

Covey explains the importance of integrity in building trust. He argues that when people are honest and open and live up to their words, others can trust that they will do what they say and can rely on them to act in an ethical manner.

Covey also explains that integrity helps to create a sense of safety and security in relationships. As it demonstrates that the other person is reliable and trustworthy. Additionally, sincerity is essential for building credibility. As it proves that the other person is consistent, sincere, and capable of delivering on expectations.

The remaining cores will be covered in a second post.

* Written with assistance from You.com chat AI.

How does a company turn trust into an asset? Read a book and find out!

Since joining Improving, one of my “go to” books is “The Speed of Trust” by Stephen M.R. Covey. He explores the importance of trust in business and how it can be used to drive organizational performance.

In the book, Covey outlines the principle of trust and how it can be used to create a more effective workplace. He discusses how trust can be built and maintained in the workplace and how it can be used to create more productive relationships, improve communication, and increase efficiency.

4 Cores of Trust

Covey outlines what he calls The Four Cores of Credibility [1], which are the four pillars of trust. These are:

1. Firstly, integrity involves being honest, open, and transparent, and living up to one’s word. It requires consistency between words and actions.
2. Following is intent involves being sincere and having a genuine intention to do good. It is important to have good intentions when engaging in any type of relationship.
3. As import are capabilities involve having the right skills and experience to do the job. It is important to be competent and have the ability to deliver on expectations.
4. Finally, results involve achieving the desired outcomes. It is important to measure and evaluate results to ensure that the desired outcomes are being met.

Certainly, these four cores of trust are essential for creating and maintaining trust in an organization. They are interconnected and must be nurtured in order for trust to be effective.

13 Principles or Trust Behaviors

He believes there are 13 principles of trust that are essential for building trust within an organization. These principles include:

1. Talk Straight: Being honest and open with others, even when it is difficult or uncomfortable.
2. Demonstrate Respect: Showing respect to everyone in the organization, no matter their position or background.
3. Create Transparency: Being open and transparent about decisions and actions in the organization.
4. Right Wrongs: Taking responsibility for mistakes and actively correcting them.
5. Show Loyalty: Being loyal to the organization and its people.
6. Deliver Results: Meeting and exceeding expectations in terms of results and outcomes.
7. Get Better: Constantly striving to improve and develop.
8. Confront Reality: Facing and accepting reality, no matter how difficult it may be.
9. Clarify Expectations: Ensuring everyone is aware of their expected contributions and roles.
10. Practice Accountability: Holding people accountable for their actions and decisions.
11. Listen First: Listening to the perspectives of others before jumping to conclusions.
12. Keep Commitments: Following through on promises and commitments.
13. Extend Trust: Extending trust to others, even when it is difficult.

1 Trust Tax

As well, Covey describes a concept known as the trust tax. By and large, this is the cost associated with a lack of trust in an organization, which can have a negative effect on performance and productivity.

For example, a trust tax is the result of a lack of communication and collaboration, the presence of conflict, and a lack of accountability in the workplace. Also, it can result from a lack of trust between individuals, leading to a lack of trust in the organization as a whole.

Conversely, by reducing the trust tax, organizations can improve performance, productivity, and profitability.

Trust Into An Asset

Covey also explains how trust can be used to increase profitability and how it can be used as a competitive advantage. Ultimately, The Speed of Trust is an invaluable resource for any business looking to create a culture of trust and maximize the performance of their organization.

*This post was co-authored with the assistance of ChatGPT and You.com chat as a test of AI content creation

Weak signals are hard to detect. That’s why they’re call weak signals.

Are you wondering about the picture?

Here’s a hint. If you, or someone you know, owns a car, the picture could be a signal.

I discovered the source of the dots in this picture. It was, <pause for effect> . . .

An oil leak! Can you believe, our 2010 Toyota Rav4 has an oil leak?

It’s not a big leak, but a leak that took me time to recognize. I saw the leak in enough time to avoid significant problems.

Those spots were my indicator that something was wrong with our car.

Finding weak signals

I contacted Ryan, the owner of A Lamp Unto The Streets Auto Repair, to check out the leak. He shared his findings, we talked about the potential cause, and we agreed that I should monitor the situation.

Are we doing the same with our teams? With the products and services, we provide.

What weak indicators are people transmitting that we’re missing? How about the market signals we might be missing?

I’ll grant, there are plenty of distractions and white noise cluttering our world today. We are constantly being bombarded with “urgent” messages that “demand” our attention. The trouble is, we don’t understand the cost of missing the subtle details.

The challenge is to consider what opportunities are being missed. All it takes is noticing a trend, asking for a solution.

Have you ever walked into a business and read the words on walls?

I read many posts on social media about culture, more specifically work culture. What does that look like?

For me, at Improving, it looks like the image below.

In the IT services industry, we support our clients. A challenge is we are working shoulder to shoulder with our clients.

At times, we might lose focus on what makes us different and unique as service providers. We’re being asked to do challenging work yet stay above some of the messiness our clients are addressing.

This is where culture becomes critical. As an Improver, I am deeply involved in Improving’s success. I enjoy working with my client, and I do my best to maintain a professional space so that I can serve them.

Our culture, at Improving, is more than the words on the wall. It is a sense of belonging to a group of outstanding professionals that make us unique.

Are we perfect? No. Do we fail? From time to time. Do we get better? Yes, hence the name Improving.

How can companies balance employee desires and business priorities?

I suggest an answer is in the quote below. Take a minute or two to dwell on the words.

Work culture is a collection of shared beliefs that the organization seeks to align to. When accounting for each person, it is hard to find alignment on those beliefs.

Thankfully, Improving has thought through what that looks like for both the business and the people who make it successful.

Are we perfect in balancing between ourselves and others while showing dedication? My assessment is, we are, more often than not.

The good news is we can model and show other organizations what that looks like in practice!

I left the best quote for last. Yeah, time to self-report.

This is an area where I struggle. I’ve often thought, “You were in the military, you should have this in your DNA by now.”

No, not so much.

But I’m practicing being excellent each day. Like writing, this post.

I cannot become an excellent writer without daily practice—the same with presenting concepts and ideas. If I don’t make a habit of speaking, then I cannot expect excellence.

At the team level, it’s the same. We ought to be building excellent products and creating excellent services. We create risk we avoid showing our work to each other, our stakeholders, our users, our clients, or our community.

Risk can then become issues that cause weeks or months of rework. All because we didn’t understand the intent of the people we serve.

Yeah, I brought teamwork into the conversation here. It’s because teamwork is bigger than a team. It takes a community.

To be excellent, it starts with you and me. To make it a persistent habit, it resides in the community.

Do you agree, or am I completely wrong?

On LinkedIn, I shared a post about battle scars. In the comments, the discussion took on a novel life.

One response was related to job search –

Here’s a link to that post LinkedIn post.

This link takes you to the YouTube video.

My battle scars

I use my experiences, and the scars I have acquired, to help teams be better. Better is subjective. For me, it’s simple. For you, it might be complicated.

One of my favorite phrases is, “God never wastes a hurt.” It’s the same with experiences.

A powerful tool I learned while dealing with “survivor guilt” from Afghanistan was reframing. Simply, reframing is looking at an experience differently with an objective lens.

None of us can change the past. We can choose to remove negative emotions from the experience in the present. Once the negative emotion is removed, we can move toward the future with different expectations.

I’m not going to lie to you.

For me, it’s been a long journey to get to the point where I could post about this experience.

My sense is development teams can benefit from reframing after “creative conflict” or moments of “creative friction”.

There’s more to unpack in a future post.