The Importance of Trust

Source: Solutions for CPA Firm Leaders

The following blog post by Rita Keller is reproduced in its entirety with permission.

I've been researching, reading, talking and writing about TRUST a lot this year. Read my post on March 29, 2011, “For CPAs Trust is Not a Soft Skill.”

Stephen M.R. Covey, in his book The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything, states, “Simply put, trust means confidence. The opposite of trust – distrust – is suspicion.”

Inside your CPA firm, do your team members trust all your partners? People trust people who get things done.

In his book, Covey notes that he asked Jack Trout (marketing expert) what, in his view, was the key to leadership. His simple, powerful response was: “At the end of the day, people follow those who know where they're going.” That's one of the issues I find as I consult with various firms around the country. The leaders are unsure of where they are actually going.

I'm talking about this today because of the AICPA “2011 Top Talent Survey.” Here are the results from a question about trust:

Throughout the economic recession, has your level of trust in your firm or leadership decreased or increased?

• 11.7% – My level of trust has decreased slightly
• 28.6% – My level of trust has decreased somewhat
• 46% – My level of trust has remained about the same
• 10.4% – My level of trust has increased somewhat
• 3.3% – My level of trust has increased significantly

If you want to establish a truly trusting relationship and environment with your clients, you must first have a truly trusting relationship and environment inside your firm.

For the original post, read “Build, Maintain and Enhance Trust Inside Your CPA Firm.”

From Solutions for CPA Firm Leaders, the blog of Rita Keller, president of Keller Advisors, LLC, [email protected], August 10, 2011. Visit http://ritakeller.com/blog/.