Customer Reviews

Trusted Partners: How Companies Build Mutual Trust and Win Together

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The basic premise is obvious: There can be no solid"partnerships" without trust. As the subtitle indicates, Lewisexplains "how companies build mutual trust and win together." It is imperative that individuals be worthy of trust. They must earn it and then sustain it with behavior based on core values. We all know that values derive from character (or the lack thereof), that values determine attitudes (both negative and positive), and that such attitudes are revealed by behavior.

My guess is that those in greatest need of this book will encounter the greatest difficulty when attempting to follow Lewis' suggestions. "Trust is at the heart of the knowledge economy....Rather than being a matter of blind faith, trust must be cone step at a time. Further, building trust between organizations is all-encompassing. It involves their people, politics, priorities, cultures, and structures." Organizations become untrustworthy when those within those organizations are untrustworthy. Over the years, all of us have been victimized by fraudulent claims, intentional misrepresentations, corrupt "politics", "a hidden agenda", broken promises, etc. If trust is to be built between organizations, there must be interpersonal as well as intrapersonal relationships based on trustworthiness.

Lewis's book is divided into three parts: Trust Leads to High Performance, Alliances with Key Partner, and Tools for Trust: A Guide for Practitioners. He follows a step-by-step process within each part, providing an abundance of observations, suggestions, and caveats. Who will derive the greatest value from this book? Here are my nominees:

1. Decision-makers who have the authority (not simply the responsibility) for their organization's cultural transformation.

2. Owners/CEOs of start-ups who are committed to building trust as well as sales and profits.

3. Those involved in M&A initiatives whose due diligence includes evaluation of cultural capital as well as material assets.

One of the book's most valuable sections (Chapter VII in the Third Part) summarizes "actions that establish trust-building habits." Note the use of the word "habit." Lewis is quite correct when insisting that time and effort are required to build and then sustain trust. Conversely, trust can be quickly compromised by a single act betrayal.

In this final section, the "trust-building habits" are classified as follows: Trust Conditions; Recruiting, Training, and Rewards; Management Behavior; and Other Activities. Once you have read the book, selected what is most appropriate to your own organization, and then begun the difficult task of implementation, it would be a good idea to re-read Chapter VII in the Third Part. The counsel Lewis provide will help you formulate your own tasks and objectives within the framework of the eight trust conditions and related practices.

If those within your organization are unwilling and/or unable to make a sincere and steadfast commitment to building and then sustaining trust, find another organization. And consider this fact: The companies which dominate their respective industries are the same companies which are rated the best companies to work for. Coincidence? I don't think so...and neither does Lewis.

Lewis has ventured into governance territory where few have trod--for example, asking how to structure boards of various types of alliances. To my knowledge, no other book has this type of material, which makes this book an excellent choice for corporate directors. (I am familiar with this audience, because I am the Editor-in-Chief of Director's Monthly, the official newsletter of the National Association of Corporate Directors, Washington, DC).

If trust is the glue that holds organizations together then you can trust that Jordan Lewis' new book Trusted Partners is an essential element of that glue. I have enjoyed Jordan's other books but find this one the most practical in its ability to translate wonderful stories about the business world into practical day to day applications. In addition, the final seven chapters of the book provide a guide for practitioners which we have incorporated into our evaluation of all our business partnerships.

While reading the book I needed to pause on frequent occasion and fit many of our current business relationships into his case examples. One of its greatest value may be to learn from others' mistakes and successes, and improve on this essential element for every organization.

Brilliantly written, "Trusted Partners: How Companies Build Mutual Trust and Win Together" contains all the essential directives for building, sustaining, and harnessing the succulent fruits of a harmonic coalition.
This 319-paged book is an exhaustive compilation of both ideas and pieces of advice. Its logical arrangement ensured that all those crucial information remain dynamic. This is an important text for anyone who is into (or tends to go into) any form of corporate alliance or similar association.
Every important ingredient required for building, improving, and nourishing partnerships is in this book. Most of them were illustrated with examples.
This is a sound Management book. It is all about winning. Almost perfect! But I did wish that it provided clues on how to constructively repair a partnership that has been damaged by egoistic tendencies.

Among the many books I've read on alliances, Trusted Partners stands far above the rest. This book deals directly, constructively, and in detail with the many realities of companies working together. Along with our partners, we have used Trusted Partners as an essential guide to every step along the way-starting when we first consider the practical merits of allying. The book has become an essential tool in helping us clarify our objectives, establish effective joint leadership, work through conflicts constructively, and align our organizations. It has been equally vital in our setting up and managing alliance governance, and has shown us how to strengthen an alliance-and how to avoid the traps - once it is underway. I particularly liked the chapters on selling alliances to customers, allying with rivals, and cooperation between internal groups. This is the most useful material I have ever seen on these important topics. Trusted Partners will be a lasting and valued resource in our company.

It is not enough, says Jordan D. Lewis, for companies to share resources, ownership and profits. For partnerships to really work, the companies must be able to act as an alliance, sharing goals and strategies. The glue that holds alliances together, says the author, is trust. This book focuses on the ways trust can be created, fostered and maintained between business partners. The author begins with what he calls the eight conditions for trust:
1. Mutual need creates the opportunity.
2. Interpersonal relationships make the connection.
3. Joint leaders deliver on both firms.
4. Shared objectives guide performance.
5. Safeguards encourage sharing.
6. Commitment creates enthusiasm.
7. Adaptable organizations support alignment.
8. Continuity sustains understandings.

The author then discusses actionable guidelines and tips for fostering a relationship of trust with business partners. Among these are the following:

· Pick team players-Invest in relationships early to facilitate understanding of each other's business needs. Ensure joint leadership and team development.
· Define a single purpose-Every step taken in an alliance should reflect a shared vision about the business purposes of the alliance.
· Align your organizations-Create an alliance plan detailed enough that teams in both organizations will know what is expected of them. Align incentive systems within the organizations with shared objectives.
· Orchestrate many units-Facilitate the cooperation of leaders from all levels with their counterparts in the partner organization. Each of the participating units must satisfy the eight conditions of trust.
· Take nothing for granted-Manage the alliance and plan for continuity.

For those requiring outstanding performance from others,particularly in a business situation, where it is imperative to have two parties "stretch" for each other this book is a MUST read. Jordan Lewis' examples of individuals in various companies sharing their approaches to building and managing alliances are very useful to seeing the right and the wrong way to develop and build trust. One can easily compare their own experiences and quickly identify things to improve many key relationships. Any executive responsible for managing an alliance ought to read this book to increase then odds of success...

Just when you think everything has been said about how to run a business, here comes Jordan Lewis with another clear-eyed tutorial on the right way to big success. Well known for his highly regarded earlier works, "Partnerships for Profit", and "The Connected Corporation", Lewis this time lasers in on just one factor in winning corporate strategies: trust. Not the occasional, plain vanilla type - - this is a step-by-step primer on trust embedded, nurtured, and reinforced in corporate practice - - especially as it relates to making the most of alliances with other firms.

It's heartening to learn that top corporate performance demands adherance to a principle we've been taught to respect in ourselves and others from our earliest years. Lewis' case on the necessity of trust in high-end corporate outcomes is impressive and irresistable. The remarkable reach of his thesis is reflected in dozens of included comments by leading CEO's on the validity of the message. A splendid read.

Jordan Lewis, has done it again. In Trusted Partners: How Companies Build Mutual Trust and Win Together, he has spelled out in detail how organizations can build superior relationships on a foundation of trust. Dr. Lewis's latest book elaborates on the themes and principles he laid out in his earlier volumes, The Connected Corporation and Partnerships for Profit.

Dr. Lewis is a reliable mentor in the world of strategic alliances. Readers of his latest book will walk away with practical strategies for harnessing the power of one of the most powerful ways to grow business in an increasingly competitive world.