Maestro Technologies - Intelligent management software for the construction industry.

Choose trust

We are living in turbulent times. Economic and financial crises, environmental problems and questionable politicians form the fabric of our lives. The causes of these problems can be very diverse, but it is clear that certain values have been mishandled and we are paying for this. Honesty and the desire to contribute to a better world have been pushed aside in favour of pursuing gain at any cost and selfishness.

Relationships between customers and partners are obviously not excluded from this dynamic. Unfortunately, these relationships are often founded on the wrong values, for example customers who focus on price rather than value, who are only interested in their short-term gain to the detriment of a long-term relationship, suppliers who are more interested in marketing than content, who hide facts, or who want to sell rather than provide service.

Under these conditions, it isn’t surprising that there is a strong desire for change. There are different avenues available to us. Normal reactions include skepticism, suspicion and greater control. Naturally, we need to be careful, but some thinkers encourage us to also think about other directions. Imagine if we also believed in honesty, trust and authenticity!

In his book Speed of Trust (http://www.speedoftrust.com/), Steven Covey skillfully defends the benefits of developing relationships based on trust. This makes everything easier and faster. Trust (that we managed to gain and what we grant to others) is not a value reserved for the weak, but a powerful method for achieving your objectives.

For his part, Simon Sinek speaks highly of the benefits of authenticity on his blog at http://sinekpartners.typepad.com/refocus/2008/01/you-cant-advise.html. In his opinion, to be authentic, you have to tell the truth and act according to your values in all relationships with others and under all circumstances. This includes friends, colleagues, the public and our customers. This means no "selling", no innocuous lies, no unimportant omissions—only wall-to-wall truth. Few people or companies have the courage to be truly authentic. We can only confirm this observation. Still according to Mr. Sinek, those who do inspire others and will ultimately succeed in selling their products.

It is easy to see the benefits of open, confident relationships that leave room for discussion, give the benefit of the doubt, that are rich in creativity and solutions, and that allow both parties to exceed their objectives. We are attracted to some people by the authenticity they demonstrate. Yet, we don’t often do what it takes to develop and search out relationships that are based on mutual trust. Sometimes, for some obscure reason, we distrust ourselves, hide information, get ready to negotiate—all of this alienates us from these more beneficial relationships. In doing this, we lose our authenticity.

We strongly believe that a new discipline needs to be developed to bring about and maintain solid values, like those mentioned above. This will lead us to the success we all seek. These would be more sustainable successes that are fairer, obtained respecting other humans and our environment.