Author: David Horsager
_David Horsager_
Reading time: 18 minutes
Synopsis
The book Trust Matters More Than Ever (2024) says that during problems between countries, an unstable economy, and when society is divided, trust is now very hard to find. This damages our culture, how much work we do, and how we use resources. It offers a clear way to build trust again. It has useful tools, grouped into an eight-step plan. These tools help you solve your hardest problems.
What’s in it for me? Turn trust into your competitive advantage.
For a long time, we trusted people we knew personally. We also trusted people who lived close to us.
But as groups of people grew larger, we could not just trust personal connections anymore. Schools, governments, and businesses grew. They helped manage modern life. So we started to trust these large organizations instead. These became the systems we relied on. This was true even when some people in them disappointed us.
But that trust has become weaker. For example, trust in the government has fallen a lot. In the early 1960s, about 77% of people trusted it. Today, only about 20% do. We also doubt more than just politics. Trust in education, religion, news, and doctors has also gone down.
Because of this, we now use distributed trust. This means we look at many sources. For example, reviews, online platforms, and social networks. When we combine these sources, they give us trust and comfort. This happens when big organizations do not. But personal trust is also growing again. People seem more willing to believe others when they feel a closer connection.
In this summary, you will learn about the eight main parts of trust. You will also get useful tools to make each part stronger in your life. But first, let’s look at why trust is important at all.
Blink 1 – Trust drives performance, loyalty, and growth
Your most valuable thing is trust. It is the firm belief that someone will always do what is good and right. As babies, we look at faces to see if we can trust them. As we get older, this feeling does not change. It becomes a quiet way we judge almost every time we deal with someone. This includes personal talks and work choices. At work, at home, with doctors, with money, and as a leader, the question is always the same: Can I trust you?
When there is a lot of trust, things happen faster. People share ideas openly. They work together more easily. And they stay loyal for longer. Leaders who are trusted get more involvement from people. Brands that are trusted get customers who buy again. But when there is little trust, everything gets slow. Costs go up. Problems start. People talk carefully. Stress goes up. Problems that seem like leadership or sales problems are often about trust at their heart. It is the strongest tool you can use to change results. It also shows early if something will succeed or fail.
And today, trust is more important than ever. Life online has made people feel less connected in real ways. We feel more alone. We are more divided. We see constant negative things. We worry about what is true. We worry who to believe. We also worry how our information is used. It is harder to tell what is fake and what is real. This includes people, products, and news. In this situation, trust affects how well we do things. It affects our mental health, how we make choices, and our communities.
But here is the good news: you can build trust. It is not something you are born with. Instead, it is a skill, a habit, and a choice you make. The most successful people and groups today know how important trust is. They actively try to fix trust problems and stop them from happening. This effort changes results. It turns teams that are not together into teams that work well. It turns unsure customers into loyal supporters. And it turns systems that are not working well into successful ones.
Trust is your base. Right now, it is also the biggest risk you have. If trust is broken, it can destroy progress very quickly. But it is also your best chance. Focus on building trust. Then it will become your special strength against others.
Blink 2 – Trust builds through clarity and compassion
People usually trust information that is clear. They doubt anything that is not clear. When goals are set, plans are shared, or feedback is given, unclear language slows teams. It also causes arguments. Actually, unclear talking causes about half of all problems at work. So, the first main part of trust, Clarity, is very important. Clarity means two things. First, ‘communication clarity’. This is when what you say is understood in the same way by others. Second, ‘strategic clarity’. This connects your main goal to your daily tasks and what is most important. You also need balance. Share openly when you can. But keep things secret if they really need to be protected.
To quickly make things clear, use the “ODC tool”: First, say what the outcome should be. Second, set a clear deadline. Third, ask clarifying questions. For example, “What problems might we have?” or “What will success look like next week?” Another way is to keep asking “How?” until you find a clear task. When you ask the last “How?”, also say who will do it, when, and where. To make the “How?” information even better, use a quick 90-day plan. Ask yourself: “Where am I now?” “Where will I be in 90 days?” and “Why is this important?”
Clarity builds trust quickly. But make sure to keep it clear over time. Things can get confusing, and people might forget.
Compassion is the second main part. It builds trust because people see you care about others, not just yourself. Helping others – by offering help, being understanding, and fully listening in talks – is more than just being kind. It is very useful at work. Teams that feel cared for are stronger. They are more loyal. They are also more willing to speak their minds. This is because when people feel safe in their minds and bodies, they share ideas. They give honest feedback. And they celebrate successes. This makes their work better. Caring can also help people see things in a wider way. It spreads out to others. When employees feel cared for, customers often feel it too.
Use the letters LAWS to show care in a real way: Listen carefully without distractions. Appreciate specific good work. Wake up to what people need right now. And serve others with small, clear actions. From quick talks in the hall to important meetings, people can see if you are paying attention to them. When they feel noticed and truly important, they do more. They work better with others. And they stay.
Blink 3 – Character and competency earn lasting trust
Now that you understand the first two pillars – clarity and compassion – let’s move on to the next two – character and competency.
Character is the real you inside. It is what others see in how you deal with stress. It is also how you follow rules and act the same way all the time. Clarity and compassion show how you work. But character is what makes you make those choices. It builds trust in other people, and also in yourself. Every time you choose the difficult right thing instead of the easy wrong thing, you feel stronger. You will be more confident to do it again. This builds the base for your own honesty and your team’s way of working.
Leaders with strong character may not be perfect. But they are always stable and reliable. They ask for feedback. They ask people they trust to tell them their weaknesses. And they think honestly about themselves. For example, they ask if they would follow their own lead.
Here is a quick way to build trust in how you make decisions: Make a short list of clear rules for how you work. Put them in order of importance. Then use them to guide your daily choices. This way, when problems come up, you often already know what to do. You know how to act before it happens.
Competency means you have the skills. This makes people sure you can do the job. Trust becomes weak when skills are old. Or when people cannot keep up with new things. Today, jobs need you to keep learning all the time. You must adjust quickly. And you need to show proof that you can get results. Some jobs need very specific skills. Other jobs need a broader range of skills. In both cases, learning fast is important. The best leaders always know the latest things in their area. They stay useful for their situation. And they show they have done more than what is asked of them now.
Think about what you put in and what comes out. The learning you do leads to the results others see. Make a plan to show your growth. Pick one or two specific things to learn that match a skill you need. Set a plan for 90 days. Keep track of what you finish and how it helps. Check your plan every month. Change anything you are learning that is not helping you get results.
Blink 4 – Commit and connect with purpose
Now we come to commitment and connection.
Commitment is the fifth main part. It means staying strong during hard times. It means sticking to what is important, even when it is difficult. People trust those who do what they say they will do. Not just those who make promises. The most trusted leaders show this by doing what they say every day. Think about simple things. Like calling people back. Being on time. Keeping your promises. If trust has been broken, just saying sorry is not enough. You must do what you promised. When leaders clearly show commitment to their team, the team will also truly commit back.
One way to make commitment real is with the “Six-Step Accountability Framework.” When you expect someone to be responsible, it is important to make some things clear: These include the shared goal and when it is due. Do they have the time and tools to do well? What does success look like? How will we check their progress? What results do we expect? And how much of the final result are they responsible for? This way of doing things changes unclear hopes into clear, shared promises.
The sixth main part is Connection. This is the link that helps trust start and grow. People naturally want to feel part of a group. When people feel noticed and part of a team, they do more. They speak up faster. And they stay longer. But connection usually does not happen by chance. Today, many people work from home, and there are many distractions. So you need to plan how you connect with others. Use a common goal and shared values. This helps different groups work together and brings teams in line.
Another strong way to connect is by telling stories. Honest and clear stories help others understand you. They help others see what is important. And they help them remember what you said. A story about a mistake can connect people more quickly than a list of successes. Stories help build team culture. They also encourage others to share their own stories. This makes connections stronger. And even speakers who are not perfect gain trust if their stories feel true.
Blink 5 – Contribution builds trust, consistency sustains it
Now let’s turn to the final two pillars of trust: contribution and consistency.
Contribution, the seventh main part, means getting results. People trust those who get things done. This is because actions are more important than words. Care and skill are not enough if you do not finish what you start. But it is not enough just to get results. Poor contributions cause missed deadlines, unclear roles, wasted money, excuses, and low spirits. But strong work does the opposite. It creates responsibility. And it encourages even better work. Connect your team’s daily work to the bigger goal. This way, everyone can see why their work is important.
To make people’s contributions stronger, use the “Six Es of Motivation.” First, set an example. Show the standards you want others to follow. Second, give clear expectations. Explain why these expectations are in place. Third, offer education with regular training. Fourth, encourage team members. Notice and praise their hard work. Fifth, empower them publicly. Give them trust by giving them important jobs. Also, remember to reward good results. This will help your best workers stay!
The eighth and final main part is Consistency. It makes the other parts stronger. It also stops trust from getting weaker. If you don’t make regular, steady efforts, good plans disappear. Also, being present often reduces stress. Every time you interact with someone, it is a chance to build more trust.
Consistency works in three ways. Personal consistency is your good name. It means showing up with the same values and behavior every day. Cultural consistency is when shared beliefs guide how a group makes choices. Brand consistency makes sure you get the same good experience every time you deal with a brand. Focus on “repeaters”. These are small actions you do often. They help build trust that lasts.
You can support these areas with the “SEEDS” model. These are five daily habits that help you act in a consistent way. They are: Get enough sleep. Do exercise. Eat right. Drink water. And find a source of strength outside of work, like your faith, family, or friends. These basic things make it easier to be a stable and trustworthy person in any situation.
Final summary
In this summary of Trust Matters More Than Ever by David Horsager, you have learned important things. You learned why trust is a key factor for good performance. You also learned how trust changed. It moved from personal ties to big organizations, and now to online platforms. When trust is high, decisions are made faster. Costs are lower. And people are more loyal. But when trust is low, everything slows down. It also causes problems.
Think of the eight main parts of trust as “the eight Cs.” Clarity means making your meaning very clear. It also means connecting your plan to your daily work. Compassion means helping others. This makes people feel safe to speak up. Character means choosing what is right and open. Even if it is slower, costs more, or is not popular. Competency means keeping your skills updated. It also means showing you can get results. Commitment means doing what you promised. Even when it is hard. Connection means making people feel they belong. You do this with a shared goal and honest stories. Contribution means getting important results. It also means making it clear who is responsible. And consistency means showing reliable actions again and again. So people know what to expect from you.
In the end, trust begins with you. If you do not trust yourself, others will not trust you. To build trust in yourself, you need to be honest, humble, and work hard. But it will give you lasting good results.
Okay, that’s it for this Blink. We hope you enjoyed it. If you can, please take the time to leave us a rating – we always appreciate your feedback. See you soon.
Source: https://www.blinkist.com/https://www.blinkist.com/en/books/trust-matters-more-than-ever-en