We've all seen (or been part of) organizations with cultures that were, if not actually toxic, far from motivating. When team members are disengaged, the organization is much less effective. Turf-grabbing and butt-covering can become more important than fulfilling the company's mission. In Trust Factor, Paul Zak goes way beyond hugs and oxytocin to show that greater trust leads to better organizational performance. He then defines eight factors that statistically explain 100% of the variations in trust in organizations. Conveniently, their first letters spell O-X-Y-T-O-C-I-N.
That acronym may sound gimmicky, but Zak documents each factor with research from his and other labs. Each chapter includes relevant anecdotes and examples from real-world companies. These examples contribute not only to the credibility of the material but also to the readability of the book. Each chapter includes a few action items at its close to encourage readers to act on what they are reading.
The first factor, for example, is Ovation. Zak shows how recognition affects attitude and performance, and explains the right and wrong way to invoke this factor. (Hint: your "Employee of the Month" award may be doing more harm than good.)
One aspect I liked was Zak's emphasis on business experiments. Too many business books say, "Do this, it will work." Of course, no single approach or solution is right for every organization or problem. Zak encourages the reader to implement ideas as experiments with a defined checkpoint where the results are evaluated. Not only does this facilitate acceptance of changes, it also helps convince executives who might otherwise reject new ideas.
I found the recommendations in Trust Factor to be clear and actionable. There's plenty of data to back them up, too, which will be needed when convincing others that change is a good idea. It's almost certain that in a climate that has been distrustful for years there will be pushback from some team members. Change isn't easy, but Zak provides the tools to persuade.
Of necessity, I read dozens of business books each year. (Preparing for a weekly podcast alone accounts for 50+.) It's very early to make this call, but I'm confident Trust Factor will be one of my top ten book recommendations for the year.
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