Bond of Relationship

Do you trust yourself? Do you trust your family, community, religious and political leaders? Do you trust the institutions that you are part of or interact with job your boss, business partner, your colleagues and subordinates? Stephen Mr. Covey, author of the Speed of Trust, says: There is one thing that is common to every individual, relationship, team, family, organization, nation, economy and civilization throughout the world one thing which, if removed, will destroy the most powerful government, the most successful business, the most thriving economy, the most influential leadership, the greatest friendship, the strongest character, the deepest love.
On the other hand, says Covey, if developed and leveraged, that one thing has the potential to create unparalleled success and prosperity in every dimension of life. Yet, it is the least understood, most neglected and most underestimated possibility of our time. That one thing is trust.

Simply put, trust means confidence. The opposite of trust - distrust - is suspicion. When you trust people you have confidence in them - in their integrity and abilities. When you distrust them you are suspicious of their integrity, agenda, capabilities and their track record.
Covey developed the "5 Waves of Trust" model or a 'ripple effect' which illustrates the interdependent nature of trust. The five waves - from the inside to the outside are:

• Self-trust: This is the confidence we have in ourselves - the ability to set and achieve goals, to keep commitments, to 'walk our talk' and to inspire trust in others. The key principle here is credibility
• Relationship trust: This is about establishing and increasing the trust accounts we have with others - and the key principle here is consistent behaviour
• Organisational trust: This is about how leaders in organisations establish trust with others. The key principle here is alignment or leaders creating systems, structures and symbols that create and promote trust
• Market trust: This is the level at which almost everyone clearly understands the impact of trust.
• The principle here is reputation -the company (and personal) brand which reflects the trust customers, investors and others in the marketplace have in it
• Societal trust: This is about creating value for others and society at large and the principle underlying this wave is contribution - with which we counteract suspicion, cynicism and low trust in our society. And, we inspire others to create value and contribute as well