How to Influence and Persuade 2nd edn, 2nd Edition

Chapter 3

Earning the currency of influence: trust

Trust is the currency of influence. To understand how far we depend on trust, take a look at a dollar bill. It is inscribed with the words ‘In God We Trust’. Regardless of faith in religion, we need faith in money. We give the dollar bill to a shopkeeper, and we both accept that it is worth a dollar. We exchange another piece of green paper and we both trust that it is worth 20 dollars. Give the shopkeeper another piece of green paper and...it will be worth nothing if it is just a green piece of paper. Trust, even more than money, makes the world go round. When trust disappears, disaster ensues. On September 14th, 2007 huge queues appeared outside the branches of one of Britain’s largest ...