Smart Trust

In 2008 Stephen M. R. Covey and Greg Link attended a World Economic Forum in China, which was attended by leaders from business and government from more than 90 nations. The group had gathered to discuss the crisis and its potential global impact, and in the closing session, its participants were asked to identify the #1 challenge to economic growth in 2009. Shockingly, the fiscal crisis was ranked 2nd by this group of leaders. The consensus was that the biggest, most daunting challenge to stimulating growth was the loss of confidence and trust, the levels of which plummeted in the wake of the crash. The results of this survey drove home the supreme importance of principles that Covey and Link have been advocating for years; in particular, in their bestselling book, The Speed of Trust. As they demonstrated in that title, which focused on the fundamental elements, skills and economics of trust and the behaviors that build or destroy it, prosperity and enduring success and vitality are directly related to the amount of trust present in any relationship - whether in business or our personal lives, or at a corporate or individual level. Especially in these times when there is a great crisis of trust, and when a lack of trust manifests as a lack of credit and hence capital, fostering and exercising smart trust is proving to be the ultimate business skill across the globe. Smart Trust is a critical skill for individuals, teams, organizations, markets, industries, companies, and countries alike, and it represents a better way to live and to lead, particularly in our increasingly interdependent global world. From two reliable bestselling authors, with a hugely popular set of training workshops on the subject, this book will use engaging examples of successful trust relationships throughout the world to help listeners develop the ability to recognize and exercise Smart Trust so that they can enjoy greater prosperity, energy, and joy, in both their personal and professional lives - with the ultimate goal of increasing trust, and its benefits, around the world.