speed of trust

Drawn from “Speed of Trust” by Stephen M.R. Covey. The Collier Companies Fall 2013 Conference of Champions featured a two day “Speed of Trust” seminar by FranklinCovey

Behavior #6: Deliver Results:

There is no doubt that delivering results in a sustainable, principled fashion builds trust. In the final analysis; It’s performance that counts; not best efforts or good intentions or frenzied activity. While we may appreciate all those things, anyone can deliver activities instead of results. Don’t tell me how hard you worked, tell me what you got done.

“I met with the leader of this unit and

together we mutually agreed that there would be a product, 

that they would deliver results within six months

— no exceptions.  

We set up a clear goal and accountability to that goal. 

Along the way, I began getting feedback from the people in the division that 

the deadline was too aggressive 

and they just couldn’t do it. 

I said, ‘Look, our credibility is on the line here….

we are going to hit this deadline.’ 

They all hated me. 

They wanted me to give them more time. 

But I felt strongly that we needed to hold them accountable to the agreement. 

And in the end, they came through. 

The product was released on the agreed-upon date… 

and that delivery built trust.”

– Stephen M.R. Covey, 

“Speed of Trust” 

Clarity of expectations is crucial; sometimes folks think they have delivered results but do not get the emotional bank account deposit they anticipate. Why? Mis-alignment of expectations:

 “What they considered “good” or even “great” results 

were only “mediocre” to the people to whom they delivered. 

Either that, or their “results” were in a completely different ballpark than the one in which they should have been playing 

– like the parent who works 80 hours a week to provide a lot of extras for a child

 when what the child really wants most is the parent’s time. 

Or like the product development team that works feverishly to create product 

features the customer doesn’t even care about.

– Stephen M.R. Covey, 

“Speed of Trust”  

Closing Quotes:

“I don’t think you have a full trusting relationship until you are actually at the point that you deliver success repeatedly. When one of my major suppliers says we want to have a trusting relationship, I turn around and say, ‘I don’t trust you. I am not going to trust you until you repeatedly deliver success to me.’” – Peter Lowe, IT Director