I intend for employees to work well together. But sometimes they don’t.

I intend for people to understand the department’s goals. But sometimes they aren’t clear.

I intend for the production line to remain “up” all shift long. But sometimes it isn’t.

I intend for my kids to just know that I love them. But sometimes they wonder.

The difference between what we intend and what is could be called a credibility gap. As we examined in my first blog posting in this series (see Leadership and Trust: Keyword – “Confidence”) every person, organization, team, process, or piece of equipment portrays some level of credibility. According to Stephen MR covey, credibility is the sum total of one’s integrity, intent, capabilities, and results. The gap I’ve described in the examples above is typical of that rift between good intentions and actual capabilities and/or results that occurs when something is out of alignment. 

High trust teams require alignment.

This is where the leader can leverage his or her efforts to build personal credibility at the Self Trust level and the increased trust that comes from key behaviors (see my second posting Leadership & Relationship Trust – Keyword: “Behavior”) at the Relationship Trust level. These combine for the leader who must create trustworthy systems and symbols that are aligned.

A mid-level manager at a large auto manufacturer with whom I work quite closely expressed frustration when he had done everything he could to be a more trustworthy leader, develop relationships of trust, and still find that people were failing to “deliver the goods” on the job. It wasn’t until he took a closer look at his department’s systems and processes that he found one of them was broken. He tried hard to be fair. He was tireless in his communication. He treated his associates with dignity and respect and expected the same of them. However, the computerized system that made work assignments each day – determining which stations each associate would work at – kept putting some people on the same processes, shift after shift. This created issues of boredom, repetitive motion injuries, low morale, and resentment. “After all,” associates would think, “I’m sure the boss keeps me here because he doesn’t like me.”

When things get out of alignment and we fail to address them, people will quickly assume the worst.

It wasn’t until he discovered that there was a break-down in the training reporting system that ensured associates were qualified in the computer system to work in other areas that he was able to apply a quick and effective remedy. He aligned the system with his good intentions.

Ask your team to examine the systems in your department – communication, budgeting, training, meetings, performance, etc. – and get their input on where these could be better aligned. Your interest and concern alone will generate trust, not to mention the many ways you rebuild and refine systems and processes that ensure your team remains credible and successful, long after you are promoted.

This even works outside of the office. If your loved ones begin to wonder how much you care, give yourself an alignment: Tell ‘em and show ‘em!

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Actions speak louder than words.

Years ago Dr. Stephen R. Covey, author of The7 Habits of Highly Effective People, (and father to Speed of Trust author Stephen M.R. Covey) found himself teaching a workshop in Oregon where a participant related to him during a break some of the challenges he was facing due to his past indiscretions. Dr. Covey was careful to bring out the principle that:

You can’t talk your way out of a problem you’ve behaved your way into. 

Years later in his research, SMRC noted that while it is true you can’t talk your way out of a problem you’ve behaved your way into, it is true that: 

You can behave your way out of a problem you’ve behaved your way into. 

Once the leader establishes and continues to build personal credibility through the Four Cores (see my Part 1 blog posting, Leadership and Trust – Keyword: “Confidence”), it is critical to examine and practice the behaviors that will allow him or her to build trust in relationships with individuals – personally and professionally. 

Let’s look at the headlines. 

Without divulging specifics on these stories, let’s uncover what business headlines from the past few days suggest to us about the importance of trusting behaviors:

• Fast food CEO has big plans to flip its ranking
• Auto manufacturer changes body style to appeal to customers
• Board of private company opens the books to dispel rumors
• Company makes good on broken promises 

Each of these speaks to the behaviors that are being demonstrated in order to build or rebuild trust. Those include at least five from SMRC’s 13 High Trust Behaviors list, such as Listen First, Get Better, Create Transparency, Confront Reality, and Right Wrongs. 

Simply put, trustworthy leaders lead out when it comes to behaving in ways that builds confidence and they inspire others within their ranks to do likewise. And just because you may have slipped and lost the trust of someone significant, it is often easier than you thought to rebuild that trust by quickly identifying the key behaviors that were/are missing and behaving your way back into the other person’s good graces.

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Author of The Speed of Trust, Stephen M.R. Covey, defines trust as “confidence born of the character and competence of an individual or organization.” This simple yet complete definition of an otherwise squishy subject takes into account both the feel-good side of trust in character as well as the practical side of one’s reliability in competence. Both character and competence lend confidence to those who would consider following any leader. And more than ever before, trust (or confidence) is sought after by an increasingly globally savvy audience of human beings who see the impact that geo-political activities are having on their individual well-being. 

SMRC (as we affectionately call the author at FranklinCovey) also boldly asserts that, “trust is the key competency of the new global economy.” Again, as you replace “trust” in that sentence with “confidence,” one can see how the currency of trust is not just a “nice-to-have,” but rather an absolute imperative for leadership effectiveness under any circumstances. It is key, because without it, business plans, corporate promises, financial metrics and reports all come under the scrutiny of one question: “Yes, but what should we believe?” 

The Speed of Trust book and classroom experience offer several models of thinking to better understand and define trust that break the subject down into understandable water cooler discussions. The Four Cores of Self Trust that subdivide Character into one’s integrity and intent and Competence into capabilities and results. The Five Waves of Trust that any leader must assess and develop within, including Self Trust, Relationship Trust, Organizational (or team) Trust, Market Trust, and Societal Trust. The 13 Behaviors of High Trust, including Talk Straight, Create Transparency, Right Wrongs, Get Better and nine others. 

I recently worked with a successful CEO in the manufacturing and fulfillment business who has truly lived out the kind of trustworthy behavior described by SMRC. He has worked side-by-side (while the CEO) with frontline employees on the manufacturing line to learn what they do and to help keep costs down during a recent recession (Show Loyalty, Deliver Results, Confront Reality, Practice Accountability). He has made an effort to get to know every single employee in the company and remembers to send them a hand-written birthday greeting each year (Demonstrate Respect, Show Loyalty). While announcing a 15% pay cut for himself, he asked all exempt associates to accept a 7½% pay cut to help off-set their losses or agree to termination with a 3-months’ salary severance package (at their higher rate of pay). No one left and all were subsequently rewarded with “back-pay” on their lost wages after a couple successful intervening years and given a sizeable bonus (Talk Straight, Create Transparency, Show Loyalty, Get Better, Keep Commitments). 

The confidence that Stephen writes about and that I’ve witnessed in industry over the past 25+ years starts with a leader who has genuine confidence in himself or herself and in the associates who choose to follow. Give them a leader they can trust (the Self Trust wave) and you have a foundation upon which you will build lasting relationships, enormously successful organizations, and a brand that generates intense loyalty and growth.

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Don’t we all wish we had gotten in on an early IPO of Apple, Google, or X stock? No, I can’t predict the future, but I’ve got a really good feeling about this one!

My first few sessions of 5 Choices have certainly lived up to all the early excitement. Participants (including myself) have derived new energy from the refreshingly holistic approach to time management that we take in the latest FranklinCovey offering. It helps that one of the 5 Choices, Fuel Your Fire, Don’t Burn Out, is all about regaining and maintaining mental and physical energy. My favorite part of this fifth choice is the best practices that we learn from each other.

Actual Participant Comments

“In 30 minutes you’ve addressed my discombobulation.”

“This has gone where I never knew to go; and I really needed to go there!”

“I cannot wait to get back and hold a Q2 Conversation with my boss, actually with my family, too.”

“Wow!” “Ahhhh!” “You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me!” (usually in response to the technical tricks we learn in the fourth choice, Rule Your Technology, Don’t Let It Rule You.)

Already I’m hearing success stories from participants who couldn’t wait until the end of the 5-Week Quickstart process, where they put all the magic into action.

Plus, as you may have expected, the take-away collateral (i.e. workbooks, videos, e-tools, bonus modules) are First Class.

Remember: Ordinary happens. Extraordinary is a choice!

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The 5 Choices to Extraordinary Productivity is wrapping up its 180+ city world preview tour and is generating extraordinary interest and results for early adopters. Based on the research of several scientists – brain research, goal theory, attention disorder, organizational expertise, and other fields – The 5 Choices gives participants the following alternatives:
- Act on the important, don’t act on the urgent.
- Go for extraordinary, don’t settle for ordinary.
- Schedule the big rocks, don’t sort gravel.
- Rule your technology, don’t let it rule you.
- Fuel the fire, don’t burn out.

I’ve had the privilege of delivering the workshop twice as of yet, with two more programs scheduled during the next three weeks. It is remarkable to see people discover and admit to what they have long suspected: they are over extended, intensely distracted, addicted to activity, and just burned out.

So, if it’s not time management, what is it? Much, much more! The 5 Choices is about decision management, attention management, and energy management. How are you doing in these areas? I don’t mean for this to come across as sales-y, but… well… here’s a sales pitch: Attend the one-hour webinar overview to see for yourself, how you and your organization can tackle the root cause of much organizational and personal productivity frustrations. You can register at this link: http://the5choices.com/registration/webcast.php

Then, if you decide it’s important, come back to this blog to tell me about your take-aways. Gotta go. My fire’s beginning to dim.

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This fall the geniuses in our Product Development team will be consumed by FranklinCovey’s biggest product launch in history. We are set to, once again, redefine the field of time management. Not since the ubiquitous Franklin Planner covered the globe in seven-ring binders has such a movement had more impact on personal and professional productivity.

The 5 Choices

Yes, that’s the name of the course. Of course, the number 7 still shines in the halls of FC, but 5 now gets a whole new following, positioned to reshape how people think about information, technology, balance, priorities and renewal.

One of the books that was researched to create The 5 Choices is Schwartz, Gomes and McCarthy’s “The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working: The four forgotten needs that energize performance.” The authors not only reinforce Dr. Covey’s four dimensions of sharpening one’s saw – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual – but they offer new research on the increased productivity that results from regular breaks in a sustained effort in order to maximize focus, concentration and yield. Read it!

I’m looking forward to the certification event I’ll be attending for full-time FC consultants in Salt Lake on July 18-20. I’m sure I’ll want to share more details with you then. But for now, plan on attending a complimentary worldwide launch event in your hometown. Here’s the insider link to the pre-registration site. We are conducting 170 of them across the globe. Theres ’s sure to be one close to you.

Let your first choice be to not miss out!

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Regardless of where blame is to be found, the epic and ever-growing tragedy of the gulf oil spill, the abrupt replacement of decorated military leaders, confessions of infidelity by sports icons (and on and on and on) all remind us of the foundational need for “confidence in the character and competence of individuals and organizations.” The aforementioned quote may look familiar to many of you. It’s FranklinCovey’s textbook definition of trust. Confidence. 

When confidence is high, managers readily delegate important work to employees who know their stuff and do it with the utmost integrity. Organizations merge in record time, while due diligence takes a back seat to solid brand reputation and good old fashioned transparency. Businesses launch new products, install complicated I.T. solutions, and rebrand themselves with renewed speed by trusting both loyal employees and loyal consumers. That trust breeds even more loyalty, and thus greater productivity and profits. 

How do I know this? I’ve seen it happen over and over again – first hand. 

Take a look for yourself at the transformative business relationships and processes that resulted from a cultural examination of and renewed commitment to trust at Frito Lay. Their stunning results have inspired suppliers and customers alike to more closely investigate for themselves exactly what increased individual and organization credibility can do for their bottom line. 

WARNING: Don’t watch this video case study, unless you’re prepared to launch a transformation of your own!

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In their most recent FranklinCovey publication Great Work Great Career, Dr. Stephen R. Covey and Chief Learning Officer Jennifer Colosimo combine to offer relevant and timely thinking on “creating one’s ultimate job and making an extraordinary contribution,” as suggested by the book’s subtitle. 

The authors encourage the reader to define what a “great career” means to him or her – to reflect on the level of loyalty, trust, and contribution one currently experiences in the workplace. They cite some profound examples of individuals who have achieved an obvious level of greatness (borrowing from Leading at the Speed of Trust workshop content) such as Dr. Fiona Wood, “Australia’s most trusted person.” Their brand of storytelling draws the reader in and makes the message more relatable and interesting. 

They introduce a Venn diagram or model to suggest that one’s unique contribution is only discovered in the intersection of one’s talents, passion, conscience, and the need or opportunity that exists externally. They offer practical tools to help the reader “Know Your Strengths,” “Discover Your Cause,” plan a “Need-Opportunity Presentation,” and draft a “Contribution Statement.” 

The closing section, “Build Your Own Village,” offers timely advice on connecting with others who mutually support one another – good ol’ fashioned networking. But here the authors bring networking into the 21^st century by addressing the need for individuals to create professional blogs, participate in online social networking, and to “carve out” one’s space on the Internet. 

In their closing thoughts, the authors suggest that by applying the tools and methods outlined, the reader doesn’t “look for a job; you look for a significant problem to solve or an exciting opportunity to leverage. You look for a profession you love and that people will pay you to do. You are not a ‘job description with legs,’ but a thinking, creative human being with unique and irreplaceable talents.” 

I put this book down more energized and excited to “define my contribution” than ever before. I had written a contribution statement and walked hundreds of clients through the process. But now my contribution statement literally stares me in the face, taped up on my desk lamp, off to one side of my computer monitor – a constant reminder of my motivating professional causes. 

If this book and its message don’t light a fire under you, there wasn’t a spark to begin with!

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Under Sustained Superior Performance, FranklinCovey’s model includes both the Financial and Internal Business Processes areas of emphasis – two of the four Scorecard perspectives. The Intensely Loyal Customers category and Kaplan and Norton’s Customer perspective are virtually the same. Both emphasize concern for talent by calling out Winning Culture and Learning and Growth, respectively. However, the Scorecard methodology of planning and measuring falls short of requiring organizations to  be clear about the Distinct Contribution that they are making to their communities, societies, and the world at large. This fourth category of emphasis in our definition of greatness is what sustains the motivation and energy required to stay focused on the wildly important. 

If you have not yet defined the distinct contribution you are making to society, consider pondering your answers to the following questions:

• Would my community or industry really miss us, if our organization were gone tomorrow? In what specific ways would they miss us?
• In what ways are we giving back without the expectation of a direct benefit in return?
• What motivates us to continue improving and offering better, more innovative solutions in the future? Is our motivation purely profit or something more? 

Each of these questions can also be applied to the individual. In other words: What legacy am I creating in my current position? How will people remember the value I’m adding on my projects and assignments? Am I the person my co-workers will think about when they are prompted in the future to think of a great example of leadership? How am I giving back in the workplace? 

Greatness isn’t that far away, when we stop only thinking about what’s in it for me.

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