From Stephen R. Covey's eldest son comes a revolutionary new path towards productivity and satisfaction. Trust, says Stephen M.R. Covey, is the very basis of the new global economy, and he shows how trust-and the speed at which it is established with clients, employees and constituents-is the essential ingredient for any high-performance, successful organization.

For business leaders and public figures in any arena, The Speed of Trust offers an unprecedented and eminently practical look at exactly how trust functions in our every transaction and relationship-from the most personal to the broadest, most indirect interaction-and how to establish trust immediately so that you and your organization can forego the time-killing, bureaucratic check-and-balance processes so often deployed in lieu of actual trust.

Stephen M. R. Covey is the New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Speed of Trust, which has been translated into twenty-two languages and has sold over 2 million copies worldwide. He is also the author of the newly released Wall Street Journal bestseller, Trust & Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others, which was named as the #1 Leadership Book of 2022 by the Outstanding Work of Literature Awards. Stephen brings to his writings the perspective of a practitioner, as he is the former President and CEO of the Covey Leadership Center, where he increased shareholder value by sixty-seven times and grew the company to become the largest leadership development firm in the world. A Harvard MBA, Stephen cofounded and currently leads FranklinCovey's Global Speed of Trust Practice. He serves on numerous boards, including the Government Leadership Advisory Council, and he has been recognized with the lifetime Achievement Award for "Top Thought Leaders in Trust" from the advocacy group, Trust Across America/Trust Around the World. Stephen is a highly sought-after international speaker who has taught trust and leadership in fifty-seven countries to business, government, military, education, healthcare, and NGO entities.

Rebecca A. Merrill has served in numerous leadership positions in community, education, and women's organizations. Coauthor of Connections: Quadrant II Time Management, she also assisted Stephen R. Covey on The 7 Habits Highly Effective People.

Recognized as one of Time magazine's twenty-five most influential Americans, Stephen R. Covey (1932-2012) was an internationally respected leadership authority, family expert, teacher, organizational consultant, and author. His books have sold more than twenty-five million copies in thirty-eight languages, and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People was named the #1 Most Influential Business Book of the Twentieth Century. After receiving an MBA from Harvard and a doctorate degree from Brigham Young University, he became the cofounder and vice chairman of FranklinCovey, a leading global training firm.

FOREWORD by Dr. Stephen R. Covey

THE ONE THING THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING

How trust affects the trajectory and outcome of our lives -- both personally and professionally -- and what we can do to change it.

Nothing Is as Fast as the Speed of Trust

You Can Do Something About This!

THE FIRST WAVE -- SELF TRUST

THE PRINCIPLE OF CREDIBILITY

Beyond "ethics": Why personal credibility is the foundation of all trust and how to create it.

The 4 Cores of Credibility

Core 1 -- Integrity

Are You Congruent?

Core 2 -- Intent

What's Your Agenda?

Core 3 -- Capabilities

Are You Relevant?

Core 4 -- Results

What's Your Track Record?

THE SECOND WAVE -- RELATIONSHIP TRUST

THE PRINCIPLE OF BEHAVIOR

How to behave yourself out of problems you've behaved yourself into.

The 13 Behaviors

Behavior #1: Talk Straight

Behavior #2: Demonstrate Respect

Behavior #3: Create Transparency

Behavior #4: Right Wrongs

Behavior #5: Show Loyalty

Behavior #6: Deliver Results

Behavior #7: Get Better

Behavior #8: Confront Reality

Behavior #9: Clarify Expectations

Behavior #10: Practice Accountability

Behavior #11: Listen First

Behavior #12: Keep Commitments

Behavior #13: Extend Trust

Creating an Action Plan

THE THIRD, FOURTH, AND FIFTH WAVES -- STAKEHOLDER TRUST

How to increase speed, lower cost, and maximize the influence of your organization.

The Third Wave -- Organizational Trust

The Principle of Alignment

The Fourth Wave -- Market Trust

The Principle of Reputation

The Fifth Wave -- Societal Trust

The Principle of Contribution

INSPIRING TRUST

How to extend "Smart Trust," restore trust, and take the exponential leap of faith that makes all the difference . . . and why not extending trust is the greatest risk of all.

Extending "Smart Trust"

Restoring Trust When It Has Been Lost

A Propensity to Trust

NOTES AND REFERENCES

INDEX