I’m reading Stephen M. R. Covey’s book Speed of Trust and thoroughly enjoying it. He addresses a growing problem that divides America. We don’t trust each other. Voters do not trust government. Government does not trust citizens. Employees don’t trust management. Management does not trust workers. Growing divorce rates indicate spouses don’t trust their companions. Covey correctly assesses a fundamental problem in the world..
An Example
Last week I ate dinner with a couple I had never met. The conversation turned to what I do for a living. I help people turn work into jobs they love and to earn the biggest raises and the best promotions.
Both the husband and wife stated they couldn’t get raises because they work for the government. The husband, who works for his state’s Department of Correction informed me that his department did not give merit or cost-of-living raises. His wife told me she had not received a raise at her work in county government for three years.
Our conversation bothered me. After tossing and turning in bed for two hours, I arose at 5am to research their assertions. Since both worked in the public sector their salaries were published.
To my dismay, I found they were correct. In fact, I read several stories about salary disputes in his state’s Department of Corrections. The legislature passed a mere 1% salary increases for his state’s Department of Corrections. At the same time, the state had decreased the department’s budget between 3-7.8% each year for 6 years. The director of the department did not pass on the salary increases in 3 of 5 years. In June of this year, several corrections employees filed suit to receive the promised pay increases.
A Growing Trend
Practices like this and others similar to it—on both sides—create divisions that affect all of us emotionally and financially. Covey offers insights that can affect your career. I strongly encourage you to read Speed of Trust.
Wednesday we will examine Covey’s concept of trust taxes and trust dividends
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