Inocua, comtrusting experience

From the new “Does marketing build trust or destroy it?”

It’s hard to measure the value of trust in a relationship but most of us will know the cost of losing it.  This can be seen in our personal lives – for instance, in the destructive consequences of an affair – or in the world of business where the value of a firm such as Andersen was virtually destroyed when trust was lost.
Trust in relationships is probably of greater economic value now, ironically at a time when cynicism and scepticism about marketers’ claims is at all-time high.
This is partly due to the major paradigm shift that has taken place in western economies.  As automation takes over more and more routine manual tasks human beings increasingly specialise in what only humans can do – use their creative gifts to build knowledge and innovate.  This ability is therefore at a greater premium than ever before.

Trust is generative
If trust is established at the core of an organisation, it is likely to spread, as trust begets trust. 
Two people who have established trust can create more value in their relationship as each has more access to the other’s resources.  One can compensate for the other’s weaknesses and each is more free to focus on the things they are personally best at.  Two people who work together well will be more able to connect with a third person, and so on. Contagious trust can build fantastic creative communities.

Trust is an action, not just a feeling
Trust doesn’t just happen. It arises from the way people choose to interact.  Trust in complex organisations should not be left to chance.  It helps to follow certain practices to maintain and grow trust.
Trust is created – or destroyed – by our actions.  The simplest and most important of these is our ability to keep the promises we make.
Another vital process in building trust is how we manage the inevitable conflicts that arise in any relationship.  What’s needed is a willingness to acknowledge conflict and engage constructively, rather than pretending it’s not there.