library /

The Speed of Trust Summary

4.6 (3491 reviews)

Summary of The Speed of Trust Book by Stephen M. R. Covey, Rebecca R. Merrill

Name: The Speed of Trust
Rating: 4.6 (3491 reviews)
Author: Stephen M. R. Covey, Rebecca R. Merrill

7 key points

13 min

5 insights

Try Headway app

Short summary

The simple and often overlooked fact is this: work gets done with and through people. Stephen M. R. Covey's “The Speed of Trust” offers an unprecedented and eminently practical look at exactly how trust functions in every transaction and every relationship — from the most personal to the broadest, most indirect interaction. It specifically shows how to build trust intentionally so that you and your company can forego the time-killing, bureaucratic check-and-balance processes that are so often deployed instead of actual trust. Stephen M. R. Covey was an American author, educator and keynote speaker. Rebecca R. Merrill is an author and the founder of the Merrill Leadership Institute. In this summary, you will discover the perks you can look forward to if you spend time growing trust in your relationships. Whether you run a business or just want to improve your personal relationships with others, reading this advice can help transform your life. "The moment there is suspicion about a person’s motives, everything he does becomes tainted." ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Key points

Trust is the most underestimated factor that can create or destroy everything within a few seconds

Trust affects everything in our lives 365 days a year, from our work to our personal relationships. At the age of seven, Stephen R. Covey was asked to take care of the yard at home. His father had a name for the job “Green and Clean”. It involved keeping the lawn “Green'' by watering it with a hose, bucket or other means and “Clean” by removing sticks, paper and other debris. Stephen’s father called it stewardship — a job with trust. While Stephen Covey’s father might offer help from time to time, the job was solely his responsibility. Four days later, the grass was yellow and dying fast. At the time for accounting, Stephen Covey broke down into tears when he realized the yard wasn’t green or clean. From that day on, he did his job well and maintained the yard. Though he was so young back then, he remembered feeling super motivated because of his father’s trust in him. This event instilled a sense of responsibility and integrity in him till date.

Various kinds of relationships are built and sustained by trust but they can also be damaged by lack of trust. With every single violation of trust, we recover slowly because we are worried about everything else out there. Suspicions about other people arise and we start to use the behavior of the few to judge many others.

If trust is removed, deepest relationships and connections will fall apart. The impact doesn’t just stay in our present moments, it also creeps into our future moments — both professionally and personally. So, we need to get better at creating, extending, and restoring trust. Does it sound complicated? That might be because you think that trust is a character for a special few, but it isn’t.

Trust is an actionable, tangible asset that you can easily create.

According to Stephen Covey, trust happens in five successive waves:
• Wave 1: Self Trust
• Wave 2: Relationship Trust
• Wave 3: Organizational Trust
• Wave 4: Market Trust
• Wave 5: Societal Trust

By nature, trust is highly interdependent and it flows from the inside out like a ripple of waves. If you manage to build self–trust, then you would have laid the foundation to establish societal trust. Continue through the next chapters to know more about the full impact of trust and learn how you can establish trust at each of these five levels.

The first wave of trust depends on our self–confidence — our ability to set and accomplish goals

This first wave is also known as

Continue reading with Headway app

Continue the summary

Other chapters is waiting for you in the app

The second wave is how to create and increase the trust in our relationships with others

The third wave is how leaders can build trust in various types of organizations, families, teams, or businesses

The fourth wave is how everyone can understand the impact of trust and relate with a brand

The fifth wave is giving back to others and showing society that you care about it

Conclusion

Buy full book on Amazon Continue the summary

What is The Speed of Trust about?

"The Speed of Trust" explores the transformative power of trust in personal and professional relationships. Drawing on real-life examples and research, the authors delve into the impact trust has on productivity, collaboration, and success. They provide practical strategies for building and restoring trust, emphasizing its role as the foundation for effective leadership and organizational culture. This insightful book offers a compelling argument for trust as the key driver of high-performance teams and thriving businesses.

Who should read The Speed of Trust

Business leaders seeking to build trust within their organizations.
Individuals looking to improve their personal relationships through trust.
Anyone interested in understanding the impact of trust on success.

Topics in The Speed of Trust

Business Management Leadership Trust Communication Team Building Organizational Behavior Personal Development Self-Help Success Motivational Emotional Intelligence Decision Making Ethics Productivity

The Speed of Trust FAQ

Who wrote The Speed of Trust book?

"The Speed of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything" was written by Stephen M.R. Covey. Stephen M.R. Covey is the son of Stephen Covey, the author of the highly influential self-help book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People."

What is The Speed of Trust?

"The Speed of Trust" concept, introduced by Stephen M.R. Covey, highlights that trust accelerates progress. When trust is high, decisions are quicker, communication is more effective, collaboration is smoother, adaptation to change is quicker, and productivity increases. Trust is seen as a key factor influencing the speed and efficiency of personal and organizational success.

What is behavior one in The Speed of Trust book?

Behavior one in "The Speed of Trust" is related to the category of "Character." It is the first element of trust and is called "Integrity." Integrity is foundational to building trust and involves aligning one's actions with principles, values, and honesty. When someone exhibits integrity, they are seen as trustworthy, reliable, and consistent in their behavior. Covey emphasizes that integrity is the basis upon which all other elements of trust are built.