How To Rebuild Trust

Here are some quick thoughts on ways to turn things around.

• Determine the real reasons why trust has diminished. Is it a problem in your industry? Something that happened in your company such as layoffs? Or is it personal ? they don't trust you? Don't rush out and create a new program or incentive scheme until you know the nature of the problem.
• Determine what the implications of lower trust are. What is missing as a result? Does customer service or quality suffer? Is loyalty lower?
• Now you've got the data you need to begin to address the problem. Be wary of window-dressing solutions. Don't try to pump people up or paint over the problems. You'll just waste your money and will risk adding to the cynicism. The only way to rebuild trust is to focus on the level of trust you want and confront the real reasons why there is a gap between what you want and what you've got.
• Trust is hard to build and easy to destroy, so you must be patient. Set long-term goals. Don't expect a single meeting or some grand event to turn things around. This situation is similar to a marriage in which one partner had an affair. It takes a long time to rebuild trust in the other person. In fact, they may never regain the level of trust they enjoyed prior to the affair.

Rick is an advisor to organizations on ways to lead Change without Migraines?. He is author of many books on change including Why Don't You Want What I Want? and Beyond the Wall of Resistance. You can access free articles and tools at http://www.beyondresistance.com.

---

Are You Cascading Your Strategy, or Fragmenting It?

INTRODUCTIONThe typical approach executive teams use to cascade, or roll out, their strategic direction is to produce a clear set of goals, objectives, critical success factors or a scorecard and then get each... Read More

The Myth Of Relationship Selling Revealed At Last

The second you quit being the 'best deal' for your customer, he'll drop you like a hot potato. Regardless of how many lunches you've bought him or birthdays you've remembered.Every business we've ever... Read More

Employee Orientation: The 90 Day Difference

Why do some new managers succeed while others fail? It all depends on the first three months ? the critical time when the new hire is learning the ropes. The new manager's boss... Read More

Innovation Management ? forced into it!

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly,... Read More

Why Training Fails

Sometimes when I conduct my workshop on Effective Meetings, one of the participants will ask, "Where's my boss?"And I say, "Your boss claimed to be an expert on holding effective meetings."Then the person... Read More

The 5 Things Great Managers Sense about their People, Every Day

Using all of your senses, to help you test how your people are feeling in your business, is a learned skill. Once you start to use it, your abilities to notice become refined... Read More

The Top 10 Requirements for Your Business to Become and Remain Profitable

We live in a relentlessly competitive world. The daily pressure to work "better, cheaper and faster" can make even talented business owners and entrepreneurs lose site of first principles. As you cope with... Read More

Eliminate Performance Anxiety Forever

You've had many years of training in your craft as a performer, singer, actor etc. but if you still feel haunted by the ravages of Performance Anxiety your career may be in serious... Read More

Organisational Culture for Continuous Improvement

I have been working with leading Business Improvement guru, Tim Franklin, preparing the PR for his latest book which offers an introduction to Continuous Improvement (CI) at beginner level, encompassing Lean, TQM, Six... Read More

Jewelry Use by Employees

Many companies have dress codes, which include jewelry. Some companies do this because they do not wish to offend customers who are of various faiths by employees who wear necklaces with religious symbols.... Read More

Five Reasons Why Leaders Fail to Create Successful Change

A bold title, don't you think? I mean, change is a complex thing, so to define five reasons seems to oversimplify the issue.Let me be clear. There are far more pitfalls than these... Read More

Catch Your Staff Doing Something Right

A long time ago, I learned something about being a manager that has proven to be one of the most valuable lessons I've ever heard.You can't manage people from inside your office. You... Read More

Managing Dickheads

"We are so different and individualistic that we can't work together." Subroto Bag chi, a senior executive in wipro technologies and Indian Technology MNC, said to his chairman in a straight talk. But... Read More

No Time to Focus on the Big Picture? Try Focus Management

E-mail, voicemail, "got a minute?" interruptions, multiple projects and competing priorities. Whether it is in work or in life, we all understand the importance of "seeing the forest for the trees."... Read More

Innovation Management ? does the idea fit with the firm?

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly,... Read More

Performance Appraisal - Ten Stupid Things Managers Do To Screw It Up

Performance appraisals aren't fun. But a lot of the time they are agonizing because managers do really dumb things, ending up destroying a process that is important to everyone (or should be). Appraisals... Read More

Inspiring Loyalty and Contentment in Your Workforce

One of the first things I look at when I take over a new department or division is the attitudes of the managers and /or supervisors.I ask myself the following questions;Do they inspire... Read More

Once Upon a Conflict

Once upon a time there lived an innocent, hardworking manager. One day he dared to wander from the safety of his open-concept office to speak out at a team meeting. He was immediately... Read More

Five Ways to Increase Profitability By Doing The Right Thing

1. Base your business in the Magic Triangle. Honesty, integrity, and quality are the three sides of the Magic Triangle of business success. Create the kind of company that stands for something more... Read More

The Retailers Calendar

The Julian calendar we use to pass the time every day, every week, every month and every year is the one most commonly used by businesses. Its general availability and familiarity make it... Read More

25 Great Ways to Find the Right People and Not Break the Bank

Are you trying to hire dozens of hourly workers or a senior executive? Where do you look and how do you get the word out? There are many ways to find the right... Read More

Manage Communication to Add Value

Management guru Tom Peters says white collar workers and managers in functional departments need to protect their futures.They have to learn "the difference between doing totally acceptable work and creating very new value...."... Read More

Islam in the Workplace

Suggested practice for HR personnelMuslims now form one of the largest religious groups in the UK. At a time when great misunderstandings and stereotypes circulate the media and society regarding the religion, it... Read More

What 80% of Businesses Don?t Know: Tips for Improving Your Working Capital Management

What is the number one way to prevent failure in business? Take a minute to really think about your answer. What comes to mind? Increasing patients or customers served? ? Effective marketing? ?... Read More

A Management Strategy

I witnessed some interesting behaviour from one of our premier management schools this summer. A behaviour that I have since discovered is not uncommon.This summer I met the PA of an emminent professor... Read More

Three Professional Services Resolutions for 2005

With client expectations higher than ever before, and the gradual industry recovery ahead, consulting firms will need to focus more than ever on carefully identifying and serving the right clients.Based on a recent... Read More

Making Change Work

Shaky FoundationsWhilst over 60% of businesses will be looking to implement some form of business improvement initiative over the next 18 months, less than 1 in 4 of these change programmes will achieve... Read More

Innovation Management ? how will we make the go or kill decisions?

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly,... Read More

Identifying Potential in Ourselves and Others

If there is someone nearby as you read this look in their eyes. Look closely and you will see great potential inside this person regardless of how "successful" or accomplished they are. If... Read More