On Trust. The Future Does Not Fit in the Containers of the Past.

By Rishad Tobaccowala the Chief Growth Officer at Publicis Groupe

A case can be made that today the most important asset is that of trust.

While a Brand seeks attention its goal is to become a trust mark.

In a world where many institutions and leaders for a variety of reasons have lost trust, earning and winning back trust is key to be able to move forward.

Without trust one grapples with heat and little light.

Trust is speed in that if an individual and an organization has trust they can move much faster.

Trust is unique in that it is earned through a combination of data and emotion.

Data. Intent Transparency.

To gain trust share the data, show the intent and be transparent about the process.

It is often said that trust is earned over time.

While this is true especially in personal relationships there is a formula to earn and keep trust.

This requires a combination of data, intent, and transparency.

The first step to earning trust is to have valid data which is shared openly with the people with whom earns to gain trust.

The data provides the facts that a perspective is based on. By sharing the data everyone can interrogate it and find any weaknesses.

But data is not enough.

We all know that data can be interpreted in different ways and so it is clear to share ones intent. What are we hoping to achieve? Be clear about goals and hoped outcomes so people are not worrying about a back story or some spurious intent or some bait and switch ruse.

In addition to data and intent one must be transparent about the process and thinking that yielded the recommendation.

Basically the three-step process works as follows:

Data: Here is why we believe.

Intent: Here is what we are hoping to achieve.

Transparency: This is the way we are analyzing, processing and reading the data to achieve our intent.

It is very hard by keeping people in the dark about key metrics to gain their trust. One of the challenges in the Hollywood Strikes is that many companies are hiding how well a show does. They are basically saying trust us but we will not show you our data.

Look where there is a breakdown of trust and one will see hidden data, spurious intentions, and dark processes.

Trust and Integrity.

Trust and Integrity are seen as associated but different:

Integrity means doing the right thing in the right way; it means adhering to values strongly held.

Trust is a belief that someone is honest and credible; trust is earned by being honest, having a positive intent, having strong competencies, and a track record of results.

To be truly trusted as an individual and often as a firm one needs not just data, intent and transparency but also integrity.

This is where the emotion that makes all the difference between truth and trust lies.

Integrity does not mean consistency.

If there is new news and new data one would be foolish to be consistent.

Integrity does incorporate values, beliefs and purpose which tend to be about the character of an organization and an individual.

Standards and Accountability.

To be a trusted leader or a firm or a brand one needs not just good data, clear intent, transparent process and integrity but also standards and accountability.

Today too many people blame others when things go wrong. We see duckathons, blameathons, and passing of the buck.

Or declining standards.

To be trusted one should have standards that one can be proud of and are inspirational. If one does not hold others to high standards how can they be trusted?

Today there are lots of reasons to blame the loss of trust from money seeping into politics, social media, a refusal to listen to the other side and much more. All of these maybe true but it is highly unlikely that trust can be gained by stopping these forces.

Rather it is to ask ourselves whether we have good data, clear intent, are transparently open, have integrity and believe in standards and accountability.

And insist on these from our leaders, suppliers, partners and most importantly ourselves.