Cutline Speaks

The Trusted Advisor

posted by The Cutline Team on July 28, 2008

Here at Cutline, to expand our love for knowledge, we started a bi-monthly book club. For this month's session we all read "The Trusted Advisor" because we understand building trusting relationships with our clients is vital for success. Being the tecnho-savvy PR "cats" that we are is not enough. According to the authors and professional advisors David H. Maister, Charles H. Green, and Robert M. Galford, we must build the highest confidence and trust over time.

The key to professional success, they argue, is the ability to "earn" the trust and confidence of clients. The authors use experiences, anecdotes, charts, lists and personal examples to demonstrate the importance of this idea on many different levels. I would like to share a short list I found compelling on characteristics of real "trust" relationships.

1. Grows, rather than appears

2. Is both rational and emotional

3. Presumes a two-way relationship

4. Is intrinsically about perceived risk

5. Is different for the client than it is for the advisor

6. Is personal

In all relationships, whether they are personal or professional, I believe trust is undeniably important for maintaining healthy, happy, productive lives. I enjoyed reading "The Trusted Advisor" and now better understand that trust is something you must work on to achieve it to its fullest.

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