Who Do You Trust?

From 1957 to 1962, “Who Do You Trust?” was a game show on TV. I watched this show because the host, Johnny Carson, was funny. He went from this show to his 20-year stint on the Tonight Show. Two contestants, a husband and wife, tried to tell either truths or lies and if their partner guessed which was correct, they would win a prize, like a color TV. What does my fond memory have to do with today?

Moving to today, here is part of a note sent by my friend, Randy Carmel (not a glass person) that sums it up nicely. “The decline in trust has negatively affected many people in a variety of ways. Trust binds us together. It is correlated with increased civic participation, increased ability to manage hardship and improved health and happiness. Trust is built through social interaction. To trust others and to inspire trust is a worthy goal for all of us to strive toward in anyone’s community.”

As a leader or owner of a glass company, do you trust your employees? Do they trust you? Do you have a once-a-month meeting with the folks that report to you in which you answer their questions with sincerity and honesty? This is the first step to building or rebuilding your relationships.

When you instill trust in your employees, that will radiate out to your customers. Your customers will spread that good feeling about your firm to others. Teach this to your team via words and, more importantly, your actions. Mistrust will also radiate out to your team and your customers.

Let your business ethics show to your customers and co-workers. You don’t have to tell people you are honest. It will be obvious if you are or are not. When you and your employees are trustworthy, it will naturally show through to your customer base. That’s the best business advice you can ever receive.