Harvard Business School Professor, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, talks on having a clear vision, the importance of zooming in and zooming out, and what should be the top priorities of a leader.
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Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business School, Professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Clarity, Vision, The Trust Edge
Lance Armstrong, Manti Te’o, Tiger Woods. These athletes and athletes like them have been the talk of the news and will always be the talk of the news. People are intrigued by scandals. Athletes who are trustworthy, hard-working and respectable are rarely brought to light.
Nick Amuchastegui, Miles Batty, Ashley Brignac, Micah Davis, Robert Griffin III, Stacey Hagensen, Lindsay Lettow, Brooke Pancake, Liz Phillips and Wendy Trott. The only athlete that you may have heard of out of this bunch is 2011 Heisman Trophy winner, Robert Griffin III, also known as the Washington Redskins’RGIII. These ten athletes hold records in their sport, at their schools and in the NCAA record book. However, that is not what makes these athletes so unique. Their ability to play not just the role of athlete, but of a student first (an excellent one at that), as well as being involved in their community contributes to their uniqueness and the reason why they were named the NCAA Top Ten Athletes of 2013.
With GPA’s of 3.5’s and above, as well as multiple non-profit volunteer initiatives, these athletes know what it takes to be a trusted individual. They didn’t take the short cut to become excellent. They worked hard, and took the more difficult course over the easy course. They extend their hand just enough so that they knew what they could balance as a student-athlete-philanthropist.
The Eight Pillars of Trust are what these athletes are all about. Having a clear vision is what kept their eye on the prize and helped them succeed at what they do best. Each volunteered in different non-profits, such as The Special Olympics, Habitat for Humanity, The American Cancer Society, Boys and Girls Club, showing compassion, and being an example of servant leadership. They clearly exhibited character in their excellence. All of them showed their commitment to their sport, the communities they were involved in and schooling. Throughout all of these activities they remained fresh, relevant, and capable. They extended their networks by connecting with others outside of their comfort zone and contributed to their teammates, their communities and the world of sports.
Ultimately, the reason all of these athletes obtained such an honorable award was because of their consistency. They delivered the same moral product every time, and were consistent in their actions, which is stronger than superfluous promising words.
Unfortunately, these athletes will go unnoticed in mainstream media, and the scandals of athletes like Lance Armstrong and Tiger Woods will always take precedence. One thing can be sure; these athletes will impact so many people throughout their lifetime, because they have proven that having the Eight Pillars of Trust will give you an edge, an edge that will mold an excellent and a trusted individual.
To read more on these trusted athletes, check out the full NCAA Top 10 for 2013 Article: Top 10 in 2013
Top row: Tony Dungy, Keith Jackson, Chad Hennings, Yolanda ‘Gail’ Devers, Bob Cottingham, Dylann Duncan Ceriani, Kirk Rohle, and David Borden
Bottom row: Wendy Trott, Liz Phillips, Brooke Pancake, Lindsay Lettow, Stacey Hagensen, Micah Davis, Ashley Brignac, Miles Batty, and Nick Amuchastegui (Robert Griffin III was also an awardee but could not attend)
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Nick Amuchastegui, Miles Batty, Ashley Brignac, Micah Davis, Robert Griffin III, Stacey Hagensen, Lindsay Lettow, Brooke Pancake, Liz Phillips, Wendy Trott, NCAA , Top 10 NCAA Athletes of 2013, RGIII, Trust in Sports, Building Trust, Eight Pillars of Trust, The Trust Edge
After 38 years, the Tennessee Lady Volunteers Basketball players, coaches and community had to say goodbye to the most competent and successful basketball coach, not only in women’s basketball but in NCAA history. Under Pat Summitt’s leadership, the University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball program was the most elite the nation has ever seen. Young girls from fourth grade on up would attend Summitt’s basketball camps every summer in hopes of learning how to be the best. Any girl who has ever had a passion for the game of basketball has dreams of being a part of that 11 woman roster and the privilege of wearing the orange and baby blue jerseys.
Pat Summitt made an appearance at 31 NCAA Tournaments, 22 teams made it to the Final Four and eight won NCAA Championship titles. At the end of her career Summitt claimed the title of the Most Winningest Coach in NCAA history, above John Wooden and Mike Krzyzewski, with a record of 1098-208 (.841).
What makes Pat Summitt so great? Trust. Summitt’s life and career exude the Eight Pillars of Trust.
Clarity: Summitt had a clear vision and purpose. She “instilled a pattern of success in her players and constantly challenged them to reach their potential as a student and athlete.” Her program reinforces that a clear vision unifies and motivates.
Compassion: Ask any of Pat’s current and former players and each one will tell you that Summitt was the hardest coach but the most loving. “Her players speak of the opportunities afforded to them later in life with a degree in life lessons from Summitt…” Summitt was trusted because she was a selfless and sacrificial leader who thought beyond her own interests.
Character: Integrity is being the same in thoughts, words, and actions. Pat Summitt never boasted, although proud of her players she was respected for her humility. Her principles and values she carried with her at home, in practice and in games. Her accountability came from a staff that respected her principles and they supported her in them.
Competency: Pat was raised with the principles of hard work, and as a young girl after she finished her farm chores she would end up playing basketball in a hayloft. “ She was strong … had great instincts … was awesome on defense … took a charge like a greedy housewife … denied the ball all over the court … rebounded with authority … took the ball to the hoop … and then could knock the lights out over a zone defense.” These characteristics led her to playing on the Olympic Women’s basketball team, a four year career in the WNBA and landing a job as the UT Volunteers Women’s basketball coach at the age of 22.
Commitment: Pat is the ultimate picture of commitment. She played basketball for the University of Tennessee for her college career and coached there for 38 years. Summitt’s passion for the game was the reason for such great commitment to the team.
Connection: Pat was one of the best coaches in the NCAA not only because of her knowledge of the game of basketball. She knew that building a great team could only happen through connecting with her players and staff. She cared beyond herself, asked great questions, listened, collaborated, was genuine, was grateful, and made a rule to never complain.
Contribution: Pat was the pioneer of NCAA women’s basketball. She contributed her life to the game of basketball. She was known to deliver results, and not just in basketball. At the end of her coaching career she held a record of 1098-208, but one of her greater successes was that her program had a 100% graduation rate. She produced great athletes as well as great minds and leaders to society.
Consistency: Even after the retirement of Pat Summitt, because of the consistency displayed by the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team, the program still has a reputation to be the ideal place to play college basketball.
There are many good coaches and good sports programs. To be considered a great coach, which is trusted by the entire sports world, requires the characteristics of the Eight Pillars of Trust. Pat Summitt exudes trust in leadership. Even now as she begins to battle Alzheimer’s, the sports world trusts that Pat will still work hard, fight hard and never compromise.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmeK-WJklGo
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Trust in Leadership, Trust in Sports, Building Trust, commitment, consistency, connection, contribution, character, Pat Summitt, University of Tennessee, Lady Vols Basketball, Pat Summitt Alzheimer’s
At the SSM Healthcare event last spring, an attendee drew up a graphic version of The Trust Edge.
The Trust Edge, consistency, connection, contribution, Compassion, competency, clarity, character, SSM Healthcare, Graphic of The Trust Edge
Ernesto Sirolli, Founder of the Sirolli Institute, shares with students why it is more important to listen than to give out one’s own ideas. People do not need to be patronized. Learn how to respond to people and become a servant to those you work with.
The Trust Edge gives tips for effective listening. Keep eye contact. Listen with your body. Practice patience. Empathize. Be present. Avoid answering the electornic interrupter. Hold one conversation at a time. Ernesto expands more on these effective listening tips in this video.
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Ernesto Sirolli, Sirolli Institute, Effectiveness, Effective listening, The Trust Edge, Patience
Why is there a lack of trust in businesses, organizations and relationships? There is a lack of competency. To be successful there should be an increased level of learning and expanding of the brain. How do you do this? Read. Read everything. Americans today spend more time watching television than they do reading a book. Next time you go to pick up the remote, take a second and think about a book that may help improve your level of competency.
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competency, fresh and competent, Building Trust, self leadership, Trust in Leadership
Starbucks is the No. 1 coffee shop in the world. Wherever you go, whether it be Des Moines, Iowa or the aiport in Beijing, China, you can find a Starbucks. What brought such great global success? Consumers trust that Starbucks will remain consistent in their promise. Starbucks has remained true to their mission and vision and in return customers remain loyal.
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Building Trust, Trust in Business, Marketing and trust, Consumer Trust, customer loyalty, organizational success, consistency
Votes will be cast next week, and one of the world’s most influential people will take office on January 20th. Who will decide? The undecided voters will tip the balance left or right. If you are one of them, what metrics will you use? Trust expert, author and researcher David Horsager has a solution. Put on the lens of trust to help you pick what you see as the more trusted side of the fence to land on.
“Trust has the ability to accelerate or destroy any business, relationship, or COUNTRY,” says David Horsager, author of #2 Wall Street Journal Best Selling Book The Trust Edge. “The election is completely determined by trust.”
But, what does it mean to be trusted? Horsager outlines 8 pillars of trustworthiness that he has uncovered through research and consulting. The eight pillars are clarity, compassion, character, competency, commitment, connection, contribution and consistency. There are 8 questions to ask when deciding who you believe is the best candidate for the job.
Mitt Romney or Barack Obama
1. Who has a clearer vision?
2. Who has higher character?
3. Who is more capable to lead the country?
4. Who is more likely to get results?
5. Who is more committed to upholding the Constitution?
6. Who is more compassionate?
7. Who is more willing to collaborate with others?
8. Who is a more consistent leader?
Whoever you chose the most is the leader you trust the most.
With the 8 pillars of trust in mind, which candidate seems to be more trusted? Last week, Horsager and his team polled people across America and found a fairly even distribution except for 2 questions. 60% of those polled believe Barack Obama is more compassionate and 60% believe Mitt Romney is more committed to upholding the Constitution. Who do YOU trust more?
The single uniqueness of the greatest leaders and organizations is trust. According to David Horsager, “Trust requires time, effort, diligence, and character. Inspiring trust is not slick or easy to fake.” Our country needs a leader who can be trusted. As defined by Horsager, trust is a confident belief in someone or something to do what is right, deliver what is promised, and to be the same every time, in spite of circumstances.
Who do you trust to lead America?
Oh Lance…
How do we handle when we want to trust a hero but the evidence is stacked against them? We feel betrayed when those we trust most let us down.
Many of his followers are still standing by him even as he has abandoned his fight against continued allegations of cheating made by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). By doing this, he avoids arbitration, but will be stripped of his 7 Tour De France titles and has already lost millions of dollars in endorsements from Nike and Anheuser-Busch. He continues to deny ever breaking the anti-doping rules but the “seemingly insurmountable evidence”, which includes testimonies from 26 people, tells another story.
Because of his breach in trust, Armstrong not only lost endorsements, but grudgingly decided it was necessary to step down as chairman of the Livestrong cancer charity to avoid bringing any negative effects to the organization.
How far does the ripple effect spread from Armstrong’s decisions? The credibility of the organization he started, and has personal attachment to, may now also be brought into question. Will families benefitting from the Livestrong cancer charity suffer from this scandal? This goes to show how important trust is. From personal decisions we make that will directly affect only ourselves, to the ones that ultimately reach millions of people.
Lance Armstrong is not the first famous athlete to lose trust through scandal, and he won’t be the last. Nevertheless, it is hard to accept it when someone seemingly so trustworthy is found to be guilty of cheating. Armstrong was, and to some still is, a beacon of hope. The natural goodwill in people wants to believe someone like him who stands for such a worthy cause. However, for there to be legitimate trust, we must turn to the clarity pillar. We naturally trust what is clear and mistrust the ambiguous.
Ultimately, if he is truly guilty, Lance needs to be honest with the public. By doing this he may initially lose the trust of even those holding on to the hope that he is innocent, but ultimately, through clarity, he will begin rebuilding the trust that has been lost. It won’t be easy, but it is possible for Lance to regain trust.
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The Trust Edge, Trust in Business, Lance Armstrong, clarity, Trust in Sports
We are in a crisis, and it’s not the financial one. At the World Economic Forum in China, world leaders got it right when they declared that our biggest crisis is a lack of trust and confidence. We are in a trust crisis and few people really understand the bottom line implications.
Trust not only affects credit and government relations, but it also affects every relationship. And as we know, sales is all about relationships, and your primary currency is not money – it’s trust.
If you think trust is just a “soft skill,” consider the impact of Tiger Woods’ behavior off the golf course, which lost him millions of dollars in just a matter of weeks. One breach of trust at Penn State University could cost them $1 billion over the next decade. If you have a loan on your home, your mortgage payment is based on your credit score, which is essentially a trust score. The more the bank trusts you, the higher the score, the less you pay over the course of the loan. Trust impacts the bottom line.
Sales people can get caught up in seeking the newest sales tactic or closing technique, but without trust, they won’t even get in the door. Without trust, you lose sales. But when individuals acquire what I call the trust edge—the competitive advantage you gain when others have a confident belief in you todo what is right, deliver what is promised, and to be the same every time, in spite of circumstances—it shows in every relationship, and eventually is demonstrated by increased sales.
Trust is the unique commonality of the most successful sales people. Obtaining this level of trust isn’t easy, so if you are looking for a quick fix, don’t look to trust. Trust is like a forest—it takes a long time to grow, and is easily burned down with a just touch of carelessness. The good news is that we can build this fundamental key to success by building and maintaining eight pillars of trust.
1. Consistency: In every area of life, it’s the little things—done consistently—that make the big difference. If I am overweight, it is because I have eaten too many calories over time, not because I ate too much yesterday. It is the same in business. The little things done consistently make for increased sales and retention, and a higher level of trust. The great sales people consistently do the small, but most important things first. They make that call and write that thank you note. Do the little things, consistently.
2. Clarity: People trust the clear and mistrust or distrust the ambiguous. Be clear about your mission, purpose, expectations, and daily activities. When a manager is clear in expectations, she will likely get what she wants. When we are clear about priorities on a daily basis, we become productive and effective. When a sales person is clear about the benefits, people buy.
3. Compassion: Think beyond yourself, and never underestimate the power of sincerely caring about another person. People are often skeptical about whether a sales person really has their best interests in mind. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is not just an old saying—it is a bottom line truth. If followed, you will build trust.
4. Character: Do what is right over what is easy. Sales people that have built this pillar consistently did what needed to be done when it needed to be done whether they felt like doing it or not. It is the work of life to do what is right over what is easy.
5. Contribution: Few things build trust quicker than actual results. At the end of the day, people need to see outcomes. You can have compassion and character, but without the results you promised, people won’t trust you. Be a contributor that delivers real results.
6. Competency: Staying fresh, relevant and capable builds trust. The humble and teachable person keeps learning new ways of doing things, and stays current on ideas and trends. According to one study, the key competency of new MBA’s is not a specific skill, but rather the ability to learn amidst chaos. Arrogance and a “Been-there-done-that” attitude prevent you from growing, and they compromise others’ confidence in you. There is always more to learn, so make a habit of reading, learning, and listening to fresh information.
7. Connection: People want to follow, buy from, and be around friends – and being friends is all about building a connection. Trust is all about relationships, and relationships are best built by establishing genuine connection. Ask questions, listen, and above all, show gratitude—it’s the primary trait of truly talented connectors. Grateful people are not entitled, they do not complain, and they do not gossip. Develop the trait of gratitude and you will be a magnet.
8. Commitment: Stick with it through adversity. People trusted General Patton, Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, Jesus and George Washington because they saw commitment and sacrifice for the greater good. Commitment builds trust.
Building trust with prospects and clients in this suspicious environment does not start with the economy, government, or even your organization. It starts with YOU—you can build these pillars and enjoy greater relationships, revenue and results.
David Horsager, MA, CSP, is an award-winning speaker, author, producer, and business strategist who has researched and spoken on the bottom-line impact of trust across four continents. He is the author of The Trust Edge: How Top Leaders Gain Faster Results, Deeper Relationships, and a Stronger Bottom Line which gives the framework for building trust at work and at home. Get free resources and more at www.DavidHorsager.com and www.TheTrustEdge.com.
Business in China, Penn State, Tiger Woods, Trust in Sales, Commitment, Sales Caffeine
