Trusted Partners: How Companies Build Mutual Trust and Win Together

Lewis has ventured into governance territory where few have trod--for example, asking how to structure boards of various types of alliances. To my knowledge, no other book has this type of material, which makes this book an excellent choice for corporate directors. (I am familiar with this audience, because I am the Editor-in-Chief of Director's Monthly, the official newsletter of the National Association of Corporate Directors, Washington, DC).

The basic premise is obvious: There can be no solid"partnerships" without trust. As the subtitle indicates, Lewisexplains "how companies build mutual trust and win together." It is imperative that individuals be worthy of trust. They must earn it and then sustain it with behavior based on core values. We all know that values derive from character (or the lack thereof), that values determine attitudes (both negative and positive), and that such attitudes are revealed by behavior. My guess is that those in greatest need of this book will encounter the greatest difficulty when attempting to follow Lewis' suggestions. "Trust is at the heart of the knowledge economy....Rather than being a matter of blind faith, trust must be cone step at a time. Further, building trust between organizations is all-encompassing. It involves their people, politics, priorities, cultures, and structures." Organizations become untrustworthy when those within those organizations are untrustworthy. Over the years, all of us have been victimized by fraudulent claims, intentional misrepresentations, corrupt "politics", "a hidden agenda", broken promises, etc. If trust is to be built between organizations, there must be interpersonal as well as intrapersonal relationships based on trustworthiness.Lewis's book is divided into three parts: Trust Leads to High Performance, Alliances with Key Partner, and Tools for Trust: A Guide for Practitioners. He follows a step-by-step process within each part, providing an abundance of observations, suggestions, and caveats. Who will derive the greatest value from this book? Here are my nominees:1. Decision-makers who have the authority (not simply the responsibility) for their organization's cultural transformation.2. Owners/CEOs of start-ups who are committed to building trust as well as sales and profits.3. Those involved in M & A initiatives whose due diligence includes evaluation of cultural capital as well as material assets.One of the book's most valuable sections (Chapter VII in the Third Part) summarizes "actions that establish trust-building habits." Note the use of the word "habit." Lewis is quite correct when insisting that time and effort are required to build and then sustain trust. Conversely, trust can be quickly compromised by a single act betrayal. In this final section, the "trust-building habits" are classified as follows: Trust Conditions; Recruiting, Training, and Rewards; Management Behavior; and Other Activities. Once you have read the book, selected what is most appropriate to your own organization, and then begun the difficult task of implementation, it would be a good idea to re-read Chapter VII in the Third Part. The counsel Lewis provide will help you formulate your own tasks and objectives within the framework of the eight trust conditions and related practices.If those within your organization are unwilling and/or unable to make a sincere and steadfast commitment to building and then sustaining trust, find anoth

If trust is the glue that holds organizations together then you can trust that Jordan Lewis' new book Trusted Partners is an essential element of that glue. I have enjoyed Jordan's other books but find this one the most practical in its ability to translate wonderful stories about the business world into practical day to day applications. In addition, the final seven chapters of the book provide a guide for practitioners which we have incorporated into our evaluation of all our business partnerships. While reading the book I needed to pause on frequent occasion and fit many of our current business relationships into his case examples. One of its greatest value may be to learn from others' mistakes and successes, and improve on this essential element for every organization.

Just when you think everything has been said about how to run a business, here comes Jordan Lewis with another clear-eyed tutorial on the right way to big success. Well known for his highly regarded earlier works, "Partnerships for Profit", and "The Connected Corporation", Lewis this time lasers in on just one factor in winning corporate strategies: trust. Not the occasional, plain vanilla type - - this is a step-by-step primer on trust embedded, nurtured, and reinforced in corporate practice - - especially as it relates to making the most of alliances with other firms. It's heartening to learn that top corporate performance demands adherance to a principle we've been taught to respect in ourselves and others from our earliest years. Lewis' case on the necessity of trust in high-end corporate outcomes is impressive and irresistable. The remarkable reach of his thesis is reflected in dozens of included comments by leading CEO's on the validity of the message. A splendid read.

For those requiring outstanding performance from others,particularly in a business situation, where it is imperative to have two parties "stretch" for each other this book is a MUST read. Jordan Lewis' examples of individuals in various companies sharing their approaches to building and managing alliances are very useful to seeing the right and the wrong way to develop and build trust. One can easily compare their own experiences and quickly identify things to improve many key relationships. Any executive responsible for managing an alliance ought to read this book to increase then odds of success...