Three Definitions of Trust

csimmons — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 03:39:00 GMT

Trust is infinitely deep and difficult to fully define yet we rely heavily upon it in every aspect of our lives. In recent months I've come across a few definitions of trust that has deepened my understanding and challenged me as a leader, as a team member, and as a Christian.

The first defines the relationship between our company and our clients (local churches). It comes from the book The Brand Gap by Marty Neumeier (slideshow). It says:

Trust = reliability + delight
Trust comes meeting and beating customer expectations

To succeed as a service provider of Church Management Software it is not enough to simply offer a wide array of features or use the latest technologies. We must prove ourselves trustworthy by providing reliable, secure, stable, and scalable solutions and services. And we must delight our clients through innovative product solutions, going above and beyond in customer care and support, and nurturing our growing user community.

Admittedly, there have been times where we have fallen short of our client's expectations and our personal/professional expectations as well. However, I am very blessed to be working with a highly talented, committed and passionate group of individuals that love technology and love the local church. We may still stub our toe on occasion but we understand what is expected of us and strive to exceed those expectations on a daily basis.

The second definition pertains to how individuals and teams relate to each other. This definition comes from The Leader's Handbook by Peter Scholtes. It says:

Trust is the combination of competency and caring

Do I believe you are competent and capable in your position? Do I believe that you care about me?

It's important to understand that as a leader, or just as a team member, that competency of position or genuine caring alone is not enough to establish trust. You must consider both factors together. Having this understanding causes you to re-evaluate how you communicate and interact with others. Ultimately I believe reinforcing this concept within our company has had a huge positive impact on our culture and our efficiency.

Lastly is the definition as it relates to our Creator. It says that:

At the intersection of Faith and Truth comes Trust

While this is certainly not a new definition I found it to be eloquently explained in Erwin McManus' book Soul Cravings. Again, if we take each in isolation, faith and truth are not enough to establish trust. For example, no one has ever died for their faith unless they firmly believed that what they were dying for was "true". Now of course what they believe to be "true" may in fact turn out to be false later but at that moment they believed in it wholeheartedly. Had they not then they would not have given their life so readily.

And as Erwin points out it is not enough to know what it is true. We need to know the One who is true. We must put our faith in Him and then place our trust in Him that He guide our paths.

God bless,

Curtis S

Daily Concerns : Faith

Three Definitions of Trust