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Show Notes
The Speed of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything (Stephen M.R. Covey)
- Amazon USA Store: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001U2MTAG?tag=9natree-20
- Amazon Worldwide Store: https://global.buys.trade/The-Speed-of-Trust%3A-The-One-Thing-that-Changes-Everything-Stephen-M-R-Covey.html
- Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/forgetting-august/id1676953853?itsct=books_box_link&itscg=30200&ls=1&at=1001l3bAw&ct=9natree
- eBay: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=The+Speed+of+Trust+The+One+Thing+that+Changes+Everything+Stephen+M+R+Covey+&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5339060787&customid=9natree&toolid=10001&mkevt=1
- Read more: https://mybook.top/read/B001U2MTAG/
#trustleadership #organizationalculture #credibility #teamperformance #communicationskills #TheSpeedofTrust
These are takeaways from this book.
Firstly, Trust as an economic driver of speed and cost, A central idea is that trust is not merely a moral virtue but a practical performance variable. Covey links trust directly to organizational speed and cost, arguing that high trust functions like a lubricant that removes friction from processes, while low trust behaves like sand in the gears. In high trust environments, people share information earlier, commit more readily, and require fewer approvals, audits, and legal safeguards. Decisions can be made closer to the work, enabling rapid execution and faster iteration. In low trust settings, even simple actions can trigger defensive documentation, duplicated checks, and lengthy escalations, raising transaction costs and slowing progress. This perspective reframes common workplace pain points such as micromanagement, excessive reporting, and prolonged procurement as symptoms of distrust rather than purely process problems. It also helps explain why two organizations with similar strategies can see wildly different results: one pays a tax of skepticism and bureaucracy, the other enjoys the dividend of confidence and cooperation. The takeaway is that building trust is a strategic lever. Improving trust can unlock efficiency gains without changing headcount or tools, because it changes how people behave and how much overhead is required to get work done.
Secondly, The four cores of credibility: intent, integrity, capabilities, results, The book emphasizes that trust begins with credibility, and credibility can be developed through a balanced focus on four cores: intent, integrity, capabilities, and results. Intent deals with motives and agenda. People watch whether a leader seeks mutual benefit, communicates transparently, and shows genuine care. Integrity focuses on congruence: doing what you say, keeping commitments, and acting consistently with stated values, even when pressured. Capabilities address the practical question of competence. Good intentions are not enough if a person lacks the skills, knowledge, and judgment to deliver. Results provide the final proof point, because repeated outcomes build a track record that others can rely on. Covey’s framework is useful because it reveals why trust can break in different ways. Someone may be highly capable but distrusted due to perceived self interest. Another may be ethical and well meaning but unreliable in execution. For leaders, the model becomes a diagnostic tool: identify which core is weakest, then take specific steps such as clarifying motives, tightening follow through, building expertise, or delivering measurable wins. The broader message is that credibility is constructed through both character and competence, and sustainable trust requires attention to both.
Thirdly, Thirteen behaviors that build or restore trust, Covey outlines a set of behaviors that make trust observable and repeatable in daily work. While trust is often discussed abstractly, these behaviors translate it into choices leaders can practice, especially during pressure, conflict, or change. The behaviors include communication habits such as talking straight, creating transparency, and righting wrongs when mistakes occur. They also include reliability habits such as showing respect, delivering results, getting better, and keeping commitments. Another cluster focuses on collaboration and accountability, encouraging people to confront reality, clarify expectations, practice accountability, and listen first. There is also an emphasis on extending trust appropriately, not as blind faith but as a deliberate decision paired with clear expectations and verification when needed. The value of this list is that it provides a common language for teams. Instead of vague complaints like we need better culture, people can point to concrete gaps such as unclear expectations or failure to acknowledge errors. The behaviors also encourage a shift from image management to relationship management. In practice, they help organizations reduce the hidden costs of suspicion: slow approvals, guarded communication, and siloed decision making. The theme is that trust is built in the small moments, and consistency in visible behaviors makes trust scalable across teams and systems.
Fourthly, Rebuilding trust after breakdowns and managing distrust cycles, The book addresses the reality that trust can be damaged by broken commitments, ethical lapses, poor performance, or simple miscommunication. Covey’s approach focuses on rebuilding through clarity, accountability, and sustained proof rather than quick reassurance. Repair starts with acknowledging the breach and taking responsibility, which signals integrity and respect. Next comes diagnosis: was the issue one of character, competence, or both. This distinction matters because the remedy differs. A competence breach may be addressed through training, support, and realistic promises. A character breach may require deeper transparency, third party oversight, and time to re establish confidence. The framework also highlights how distrust can become a self reinforcing cycle: when people assume bad intent, they interpret neutral actions negatively, reduce communication, and increase control, which then triggers defensiveness and further suspicion. Breaking that cycle often requires a leader to change behavior first, even without guarantees of reciprocity. Practical steps include renegotiating expectations, making smaller commitments and delivering them reliably, and creating mechanisms that increase visibility of progress. The goal is not to demand trust but to earn it through consistent actions that reduce uncertainty. Over time, repeated delivery and openness can move a relationship from guarded compliance to genuine collaboration.
Lastly, Leading with trust at scale: culture, systems, and smart empowerment, Beyond individual relationships, Covey argues that trust must be embedded into organizational culture and operating systems. High trust cultures do not happen by slogans; they are reinforced by how leaders hire, evaluate performance, share information, and respond to mistakes. If incentives reward internal competition, secrecy, or short term wins at any cost, trust will erode regardless of stated values. Conversely, when systems reward collaboration, learning, and accountability, trust becomes self sustaining. The book’s perspective encourages leaders to view policies and controls through a trust lens. Some controls are necessary, but excessive controls can signal distrust and invite gaming. A trust centered organization aims for smart empowerment: delegating with clear outcomes, boundaries, and support, then holding people accountable for results. This increases speed while maintaining responsibility. The approach also matters externally, shaping how organizations treat customers, partners, and regulators. Transparent communication and consistent delivery can become a competitive advantage, reducing negotiation time and strengthening loyalty. In change initiatives, trust functions as change capacity: people are more willing to adopt new processes, accept ambiguity, and contribute ideas when they believe leaders are competent and acting with mutual benefit. The overall message is that trust is not only a personal skill but an organizational capability that can be designed, measured, and improved.
- Amazon USA Store: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001U2MTAG?tag=9natree-20
- Amazon Worldwide Store: https://global.buys.trade/The-Speed-of-Trust%3A-The-One-Thing-that-Changes-Everything-Stephen-M-R-Covey.html
- Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/forgetting-august/id1676953853?itsct=books_box_link&itscg=30200&ls=1&at=1001l3bAw&ct=9natree
- eBay: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=The+Speed+of+Trust+The+One+Thing+that+Changes+Everything+Stephen+M+R+Covey+&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5339060787&customid=9natree&toolid=10001&mkevt=1
- Read more: https://mybook.top/read/B001U2MTAG/
#trustleadership #organizationalculture #credibility #teamperformance #communicationskills #TheSpeedofTrust
These are takeaways from this book.
Firstly, Trust as an economic driver of speed and cost, A central idea is that trust is not merely a moral virtue but a practical performance variable. Covey links trust directly to organizational speed and cost, arguing that high trust functions like a lubricant that removes friction from processes, while low trust behaves like sand in the gears. In high trust environments, people share information earlier, commit more readily, and require fewer approvals, audits, and legal safeguards. Decisions can be made closer to the work, enabling rapid execution and faster iteration. In low trust settings, even simple actions can trigger defensive documentation, duplicated checks, and lengthy escalations, raising transaction costs and slowing progress. This perspective reframes common workplace pain points such as micromanagement, excessive reporting, and prolonged procurement as symptoms of distrust rather than purely process problems. It also helps explain why two organizations with similar strategies can see wildly different results: one pays a tax of skepticism and bureaucracy, the other enjoys the dividend of confidence and cooperation. The takeaway is that building trust is a strategic lever. Improving trust can unlock efficiency gains without changing headcount or tools, because it changes how people behave and how much overhead is required to get work done.
Secondly, The four cores of credibility: intent, integrity, capabilities, results, The book emphasizes that trust begins with credibility, and credibility can be developed through a balanced focus on four cores: intent, integrity, capabilities, and results. Intent deals with motives and agenda. People watch whether a leader seeks mutual benefit, communicates transparently, and shows genuine care. Integrity focuses on congruence: doing what you say, keeping commitments, and acting consistently with stated values, even when pressured. Capabilities address the practical question of competence. Good intentions are not enough if a person lacks the skills, knowledge, and judgment to deliver. Results provide the final proof point, because repeated outcomes build a track record that others can rely on. Covey’s framework is useful because it reveals why trust can break in different ways. Someone may be highly capable but distrusted due to perceived self interest. Another may be ethical and well meaning but unreliable in execution. For leaders, the model becomes a diagnostic tool: identify which core is weakest, then take specific steps such as clarifying motives, tightening follow through, building expertise, or delivering measurable wins. The broader message is that credibility is constructed through both character and competence, and sustainable trust requires attention to both.
Thirdly, Thirteen behaviors that build or restore trust, Covey outlines a set of behaviors that make trust observable and repeatable in daily work. While trust is often discussed abstractly, these behaviors translate it into choices leaders can practice, especially during pressure, conflict, or change. The behaviors include communication habits such as talking straight, creating transparency, and righting wrongs when mistakes occur. They also include reliability habits such as showing respect, delivering results, getting better, and keeping commitments. Another cluster focuses on collaboration and accountability, encouraging people to confront reality, clarify expectations, practice accountability, and listen first. There is also an emphasis on extending trust appropriately, not as blind faith but as a deliberate decision paired with clear expectations and verification when needed. The value of this list is that it provides a common language for teams. Instead of vague complaints like we need better culture, people can point to concrete gaps such as unclear expectations or failure to acknowledge errors. The behaviors also encourage a shift from image management to relationship management. In practice, they help organizations reduce the hidden costs of suspicion: slow approvals, guarded communication, and siloed decision making. The theme is that trust is built in the small moments, and consistency in visible behaviors makes trust scalable across teams and systems.
Fourthly, Rebuilding trust after breakdowns and managing distrust cycles, The book addresses the reality that trust can be damaged by broken commitments, ethical lapses, poor performance, or simple miscommunication. Covey’s approach focuses on rebuilding through clarity, accountability, and sustained proof rather than quick reassurance. Repair starts with acknowledging the breach and taking responsibility, which signals integrity and respect. Next comes diagnosis: was the issue one of character, competence, or both. This distinction matters because the remedy differs. A competence breach may be addressed through training, support, and realistic promises. A character breach may require deeper transparency, third party oversight, and time to re establish confidence. The framework also highlights how distrust can become a self reinforcing cycle: when people assume bad intent, they interpret neutral actions negatively, reduce communication, and increase control, which then triggers defensiveness and further suspicion. Breaking that cycle often requires a leader to change behavior first, even without guarantees of reciprocity. Practical steps include renegotiating expectations, making smaller commitments and delivering them reliably, and creating mechanisms that increase visibility of progress. The goal is not to demand trust but to earn it through consistent actions that reduce uncertainty. Over time, repeated delivery and openness can move a relationship from guarded compliance to genuine collaboration.
Lastly, Leading with trust at scale: culture, systems, and smart empowerment, Beyond individual relationships, Covey argues that trust must be embedded into organizational culture and operating systems. High trust cultures do not happen by slogans; they are reinforced by how leaders hire, evaluate performance, share information, and respond to mistakes. If incentives reward internal competition, secrecy, or short term wins at any cost, trust will erode regardless of stated values. Conversely, when systems reward collaboration, learning, and accountability, trust becomes self sustaining. The book’s perspective encourages leaders to view policies and controls through a trust lens. Some controls are necessary, but excessive controls can signal distrust and invite gaming. A trust centered organization aims for smart empowerment: delegating with clear outcomes, boundaries, and support, then holding people accountable for results. This increases speed while maintaining responsibility. The approach also matters externally, shaping how organizations treat customers, partners, and regulators. Transparent communication and consistent delivery can become a competitive advantage, reducing negotiation time and strengthening loyalty. In change initiatives, trust functions as change capacity: people are more willing to adopt new processes, accept ambiguity, and contribute ideas when they believe leaders are competent and acting with mutual benefit. The overall message is that trust is not only a personal skill but an organizational capability that can be designed, measured, and improved.
