I've been perusing many articles, podcast, and blogs focused on building trust lately. Is it any wonder? We've just witnessed the convictions of Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skillman as perpetrators of the Enron debacle. The leaders of the U.S. government are mistrusted around the world and in our own country. Many people distrust the election system at the local, state, and federal levels.

What does trust have to do with you as a leader? Simply put—it's everything. In the NetSpeed Leadership module, Leading at Net Speed, we describe five Leadership Guidelines that form a leader's internal gyroscope:

1. Create an Optimistic Climate
2. Promote Collaborative Relationships
3. Encourage Exceptional Performance
4. Focus for High Impact
5. Cultivate Trust

What does it mean to Cultivate Trust? First and foremost, it means that you can be depended on to do what you say you'll do. There is congruity between your promises and your actions. You have earned credibility with your employees (or your customers). They know that they can count on you, not necessarily to be perfect but to stand behind your promises.

Take a look at the 2006 Annual Edelman Trust Barometer to see the results of surveys completed around the world on the subject of trust. It's a goldmine of useful insights. Here is just one quotation: “Trust is more than a bonus; it is a tangible asset that must be created, sustained, and built upon. ” (Thanks to Andy Kaufman for his blog posting on Stakeholders and Trust which pointed to this report.)

Like any business, we wrestle with this trust issue all the time. If we make a mistake, we bend over backward to correct it. It obviously helps if we have developed a trusting relationship that can withstand the occasional error. I wince when I recall a lost customer opportunity a couple years back that stemmed from a cascading series of bizarre technical errors (never seen before or since). It was no surprise that the client chose not to move forward. Around 70% of customers refuse to do business with someone they don't trust.

The issue of trust is always present in our relationships with employees and with customers. For a useful perspective on how to create greater trust with customers, listen to this podcast of an interview with Kevin Eikenberry. He talks about four elements of trust: Credibility, Reliability, Intimacy, and the Agenda. Trust has nothing to do with whether your customer likes you or even approves of you.

Becoming trustworthy to a particular client or individual is an ongoing process. What do you do to create, sustain, and build upon trust in your business relationships with your employees, colleagues, and clients? Send us your comments.

Posted by Cynthia Clay at 01:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I've begun to rethink podcasting. In a recent NetSpeed Leadership newsletter article focused on change, I made the statement, “My least favorite innovation is podcasting and, okay, I'll admit that I don't understand how anyone can learn anything by listening to an audio feed. I saw an article in the newspaper this week that featured podcasting as a way for personal fitness trainers to provide an exercise program directly through their customers' headphones. It's the first application of this technology that I've found remotely useful because it occurs at a moment of need when the listener is motivated to listen.”

There's nothing like making an observation like that to activate a few brain cells. I've been reading articles, taking a webinar, and paying attention to Gen X and Y types around me with "buds" in their ears and iPods in their hands. On an airplane trip, I sat next to two 30-year old store managers from Starbucks and peppered them with questions about how they learned to manage the associates in their stores. They both had iPods which they listen to when they are working in the back room of the store doing administrative tasks. They told me that they've been to classroom training sessions and learned effective management techniques; yet when situations arise in the store which may require coaching an employee, for example, they just blunder through trying to remember and apply what they learned weeks or months earlier.

My lightbulb moment was realizing that this is perfect podcasting opportunity. We could provide audio content after a workshop at the moment that someone needs a refresher. The NetSpeed Leadership system already includes an electronic magazine and other online reinforcement tools. Why not add an on-demand feature like podcasting? So I'm digging in now working to figure out how to make this happen by the end of 2006. One of the resources I'm checking into is Andy Wibbel's Podcasting Bootcamp.

As the baby boomers begin to retire in the coming years, it's the Gen Xers and Gen Yers that will step into the management roles. I have to remind myself that these folks are accustomed to getting information through PDAs and iPods. They learn contextually and welcome getting what they need in bite-sized chunks on demand.

As a baby boomer (a young one) I'm proud to tell you that last night I tried my own MP3 player for the first time. As I drove to my appointments today, I practised my rusty conversational Spanish while listening to Spanish lessons downloaded from the Internet. Once I get the hang of this learning modality myself, I'll see how I can translate it (no pun intended) to supporting the application of solid leadership skills.

Check out this article about podcasting on wikipedia.

Posted by Cynthia Clay at 10:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We have just returned this morning from our annual trade show, the International Conference hosted by the American Society for Training & Development. This year the conference was held in Dallas, Texas. NetSpeed Leadership participated in the EXPO featuring 400 suppliers and vendors who offer products and services for folks in the learning and development arenas.

This was a fantastic opportunity for us to meet and mingle with current and prospective clients. Our affiliated consultant partners flew in from around the country to work in our booth. We held a breakfast to introduce our new customer service training program, Blazing Service, to interested training directors. All in all, it was an energizing, positive experience.

But a personal high for me was the opportunity to set something right. Several years ago, we brought a new NetSpeed Leadership client (Company A) on board. They signed a contract, paid us a hefty sum of money, and scheduled a trainer certification workshop for six trainers. When I called to confirm the logistics of the training, I was informed that my key contact had been laid off! Not to worry, someone had taken his place and would move forward with NetSpeed Leadership; however, we rescheduled the trainer certification to give the new guy time to get familiar with his job. When I called again to confirm the logistics of the rescheduled training, I was informed that the new guy had been laid off!

I was handed off to an inexperienced employee who didn't quite know what to do. She said that she would look into the situation and get back to me. When I didn't hear from her for a couple of weeks, I began making fruitless phone calls to her number. One day someone answered the phone and informed me that she too had been laid off. Having moved down the food chain, I now asked to move up the food chain to the VP of HR. I began calling and emailing to explain that we wanted to fulfill this obligation. No one responded.

After beating my head against this brick wall for several months, I finally gave up. I figured one day someone at this company would find a contract filed somewhere and call us.

Fast forward: three years later (two days ago, in fact), I was standing at our booth at the ASTD EXPO when a training manager walked up. She informed me that her company had just merged with Company A. She explained their immediate need for leadership training for their supervisors and managers. When she paused, I said, “I think I'm about to tell you something that you're really going to like.” After telling her this story, I ended with, “So, you see, you're already a client. You have a license for NetSpeed Leadership. You've paid for six trainer certifications. All you have to do is fly me out there and you'll be good to go.” I can't tell you how satisfying it was to watch her hoot and holler in delight. She screamed, “Oh my God, it's like I just won the lottery. I can't believe it.”

Besides the obvious pleasure of making someone this happy, I have to say I have a bone-deep sense of satisfaction in simply doing the right thing. I place a high value on integrity and ethics and I'm back in alignment with my personal values. Ahhhhhh!

Posted by Cynthia Clay at 12:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)