March 2010
Oprah and Two Trust Tests
by Charles H. Green on Thursday, March 12, 2009 (post #453)
Trust is bustin’ out all over. Or, to be more accurate, its perceived absence is creating a lot of press.
It’s one thing to become a focus for Steven H.R. Covey Jr.—but it’s yet another level of phenomenon when Oprah puts trust on the front page of O Magazine.
Of particular note is a self-scoring “trustometer” self-assessment trust test by Martha Beck.
It’s a good quiz; go take it, you’ll learn something.
There are three kinds of trust surveys: those that measure trusting, those that measure trustworthiness, and those that measure the combination, i.e. trust. Ms. Beck’s trust test measures the first—trusting.
The thrust is: how clearly can you see things for what they are, rather than as they appear through your own obscured ego-driven lenses? Your gut feelings are probably very good—unless you get in their way.
This is a good message—the ability to intelligently take risks, to trust, is a powerful thing. In the Age of Madoff, where trusting is an unpopular concept, this is a welcome reminder of the importance of trust.
So much for trusting: how about, can we measure how much people trust us?
Yes we can. If you’ll forgive the shameless self-promotion, that’s what the Trust Quotient™, or TQ™, measures—our level of trustworthiness. (To be precise, since it’s also a self-assessment, it’s our best guess about how much others trust us).
Unlike the Beck trust test, which gives you a one-paragraph “if your score was between __ and __, you are ….”, the Trust Quotient trust test gives you several pages of analysis and recommendations about the various components of trustworthiness.
Take them both: the Beck Trust test on your ability to trust: and the TQ Trust Quotient test to assess your trustworthiness.
Over 12,000 people have taken our Trust Quotient quiz. Check out the NEW VERSION and learn your Trust Temperament.
Charles H. Green is founder and CEO of Trusted Advisor Associates LLC; read more about Charlie at http://trustedadvisor.com/cgreen/
You can follow him on twitter @CharlesHGreen
posted in Trust in Leadership Development and Strategy, Building Trusted Advisors
Pierre Cerulus said
I took the Beck test and learned something, actually a reinforcement, it always start with "I" and how much you are "self-aware". I also wanted to share with others that the 2 tests outcomes are linked, as "Reciprocity" is playing out here. What I mean, is....if my trust level for another person is low, it is an illusion to believe that the other person will have a high trust in me. No the real question, I think is.....What in me is creating this low level of trust....I found this a rich self-discovey experience.
posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009