The Four Factors of Trust

CHAPTER 7The Trust Ecosystem

In this chapter:

• To build trust, start with your workforce
• Delta Air Lines: A virtuous circle
• American Express: The three Cs
• You're in this with partners (and partners are people too)

We are dating ourselves, but remember the iconic Reese's Peanut Butter Cup commercials from the mid‐’80s, telling us that chocolate and peanut butter were “two great tastes that taste great together”? As Amelia likes to say, she is passionate about all things that elevate the human experience, including high‐quality dark chocolate, which does go great with peanut butter. We started researching other iconic pairings, like Ben and Jerry, Holmes and Watson, and the one‐time “supercouple” Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who made tabloid headlines as Brangelina. (As an aside, we once gave a talk on the human experience and trust and were referred to afterwards as “Ashmelia.”) Joking aside, we do think there is something special about iconic pairs and their ability to build trust, not only with each other but also with others, which is worth paying attention to. In this chapter, we will talk about the virtuous circle of how investing in building trust with workers also builds trust with customers. We will also share the stories of Delta Air Lines and American Express, an iconic pair in the travel industry. Both have invested to build trust with their respective workforces, their customers, and with each other as partners.

To Build Trust, Start with Your Workforce ...