Excerpts from Trust is the Tie-breaker
"Whether it's employees, customers, shareholders, neighbors or any other stakeholder group, nothing good is going to happen unless and until they have a reason to trust. No investment in communication will ever overcome failure to implement actions that merit trust."
"Decide how you want your company to be perceived. Make sure the behaviors walk the talk. Compile as many specific examples as possible to support that. At the end of the day, tell the truth. Tell everyone the same basic message. Tell it with the right tone. Chances are you'll be just fine."
"Too few organizations understand that their actions speak louder than their words."
"A lot of people will tell you that the best investment you'll ever make is in the education of your children. Actually, that's the second best investment. The very best is to invest in your own personal brand. Do that well and you'll be able to afford those college tuitions."
"Insist that actions from top to bottom support the values you espouse such as treating all employees with dignity, standing behind your company's products or protecting the environment."
"Focus on being a listening organization. Listen to employees. Listen to customers. Listen to neighbors. Managers who listen become better managers."