Trust
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
I'm reading a book right now entitled "Trust: The Secret Weapon of Effective Business Leaders," by Kathy Bloomgarden. So far it's a pretty engaging overview of the attributes that make companies trusted. Essentially, Bloomgarden says the four drivers of trust are:
- Delivers Results
- Ethical
- Transparency
- Listens
For me, anyway, the book is affirming the actions being taken by Quixtar right now. The first aspect you have to address as a business is delivering results. Otherwise you won't be in business long! But if they're not ethical results, your company won't last long either. Transparency is about "proving" to others that you're doing the right things; you have nothing to hide! And listening to your audiences--customers, shareholders, employees, critics--is essential to continually meet the market's needs.
Quixtar's strategic plan for 2007 (and beyond) includes elements to improve results by addressing our product portfolio and compensation plan and the training IBOs will need as we introduce new (and better) ways of doing our business. These initiatives will hopefully support continuous improvements on the results front.
We believe we have pursued an ethical approach to the business, but we need to ensure we all are moving forward together on that front. From PDAP to disclosure, stronger enforcement of rules and perhaps the creation of new ones, there's a lot of work going on to ensure we move forward in an ethical manner.
I think we're doing a better job of being transparent, but it's so difficult when you're going about transforming your business and trying to manage communications to key audiences in a cascading manner. There is SO MUCH we want to talk about but can't until we've worked our way through approvals from company owners and top executives, notifications to business leaders, the field, and employees.
And, finally, we're listening. I think for decades we've "heard" complaints and we've tried to "deal with" them. But I think today we actually listen to the feedback to determine how we can avoid others having an experience that would lead to the same result. As the old saying goes, if you do today what you've always done, you'll continue to get what you've always gotten. Except in our business I think there actually are diminishing returns for doing business the same old way.
All of this, by the way, starts at the top. This is true for our many efforts to improve our business and reputation and to better communicate with all of our key audiences. Without support from the highest levels, including a willingness to invest to make these things happen, business transformation could not happen. Steve Van Andel and Doug DeVos, from what I've seen, are committed to making this global business the leader in our industry. Not just the sales leader. But also the leader in ethics, in transparency, and in listening to our audiences. Jim Payne carries that mission into his work with Quixtar and most Amway markets around the world. Without his support and his own active blogging here in the Opportunity Zone, this kind of dialog could not happen.
I have been with Amway and Quixtar for 15 years, and I've never been more excited about what is happening within this company and in the field. Scary? You bet. With the kind of changes being discussed, there are a lot of uncertainties. Doing business different probably means organizational changes. It probably means we don't do some things we've done before and start doing things we've never done. That's not comfortable, but it is the right thing to do.
As the company and the business goes through these changes, I hope all participants embrace those changes and pursue new ways of doing things. Because our business relies upon face-to-face contact, trust is essential. That means we need to make sure that we're all committed to HOTT communications, to doing the work necessary to provide an excellent experience for customers and new IBOs, and operating with the highest ethical standards. Sounds pretty basic, huh?