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Trust Factor: The Science of Creating High-Performance Companies Kindle Edition
Why is the culture of a stagnant workplace so difficult to improve? Learn to cultivate a workplace where trust, joy, and commitment compounds naturally by harnessing the power of neurochemistry!
For decades, business leaders have been equipping themselves with every book, philosophy, reward, and program, yet companies everywhere continue to struggle with toxic cultures, and the unhappiness and low productivity that go with them.
In Trust Factor, neuroscientist Paul Zak shows that innate brain functions hold the answers we’ve been looking for. Put simply, the key to providing an engaging, encouraging, positive culture that keeps your employees energized is trust. When someone shows you trust, a feel-good jolt of oxytocin surges through your brain and triggers you to reciprocate.
Within this book, Zak explains topics such as:
- How brain chemicals affect behavior
- Why trust gets squashed
- How to stimulate trust within your employees
- And much more!
This book also incorporates science-based insights for building high-trust organizations with successful examples from The Container Store, Zappos, and Herman Miller.
Stop recycling the same ineffective strategies and programs for improving culture. By using the simple mechanisms in Trust Factor, you can create a perpetual trust-building cycle between your management and staff, thus ending stubborn workplace patterns.
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherAMACOM
- Publication dateJanuary 2, 2017
- File size2.6 MB
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From the Inside Flap
Companies have tried everything from “golden handcuffs” to gourmet meals to gimmicks like “karaoke Fridays” to retain their best employees and keep them engaged, but the only thing that really works, according to a decade of research conducted by neuroscientist Paul Zak, is building a high-trust culture.
Employees in high-trust organizations are substantially more productive, have more energy at work, and stay with their employers longer. They collaborate more effectively with coworkers, suffer less chronic stress, and are happier than employees working at low-trust companies. And they earn higher salaries because they generate so much more profit than those at low-trust organizations.
In Trust Factor, Zak lays out the eight ways his research shows you can actively design and manage a high-trust culture:
Ovation: In a survey of 100,000 employees, 79 percent said “lack of appreciation” made them quit. Cultures that celebrate members motivate them too, provided the celebrations are handled correctly.
EXpectation: Annual reviews are ineffective and no one likes them anyway. Creating difficult, but achievable, goals engages the brain’s reward system and better engages employees.
Yield: When you let employees take control of their work, they accomplish more and find new ways to innovate.
Transfer: Nearly two-thirds of employees dream of autonomy. Let them decide what teams and tasks they want to contribute to, and you elevate their productivity.
Openness: Transparency creates high levels of trust by relieving the stress of not knowing and, thus, wondering and worrying. So, share more information.
Caring: Caring promotes empathy and social bonds, from which engagement springs. If you care about them, they’ll care about you.
Invest: Companies that invest in employees’ career and personal growth—“whole person development”—see much higher rates of retention.
Natural: Vulnerability is not weakness. Honesty is not embarrassing. Both are strengths that invite collaboration, which leads to greater performance.
The old adage “trust begets trust” is true, and neuroscience proves it. By using hard science to optimize soft skills, Trust Factor offers a fresh approach to understanding why we behave as we do and how to spur dramatic, positive changes in even the most entrenched workplace cultures.
Paul J. Zak, PhD, is the founding director of the Center for Neuroeconomics Studies and professor of economics, psychology, and management at Claremont Graduate University. He led the team of scientists that first made the connection between oxytocin and trust, and his TED talk on the topic has received over a million views. He has appeared on CNN, Fox Business, Dr. Phil, Good Morning America, ABC World News Tonight, and is the author of The Moral Molecule.
From the Back Cover
Why is “culture” so difficult to improve? What makes so many good employees check out? Neuroscientist Paul Zak shows that innate brain functions hold the answers. When you show that you trust a person, oxytocin surges through their brain and triggers a reciprocal act. This simple mechanism creates a perpetual trust-building cycle, and works to change stubborn workplace patterns.
Drawing on his original research, Zak teases out science-backed insights for building high-trust organizations. Trust Factor opens a window on how brain chemicals affect behavior, why trust gets squashed, and ways to consciously stimulate it by celebrating effort, sharing information, promoting ownership, investing in employee growth, and more proven strategies.
Packed with examples from The Container Store, Zappos, Herman Miller, Google, and dozens more, Trust Factor harnesses our neurochemistry to cultivate workplaces where trust, joy, and commitment compound naturally.
“If you’re intentional about building great culture, Trust Factor can help you get there. In his latest work, Zak offers compelling research, thought-provoking stories and actionable steps that can help close the gap present in most organizations. A great resource for anyone wanting to create a high performance people-centric organization where everyone thrives!” — Bob Chapman, author, Everybody Matters and CEO, Barry-Wehmiller Companies
“In this exciting new book, Paul Zak considers ‘all employees as [ultimately] volunteers’; and ‘trust’ as the critical ingredient in getting those ‘volunteers’ to work together. Uniting economics with neuroscience, Zak gives fascinating down-to-earth examples of how to practically apply these insights.” — George Akerlof, 2001 Nobel Laureate in Economics
“Trust Factor is essential reading for every business leader and a must-read for anyone interested in the true secret of every successful business: a robust, healthy culture. Paul not only shows us why cultures of trust are critical, but more importantly, he provides a wealth of data and practical guidelines for how to build a thriving organization.” — Doug Rauch, former CEO of Trader Joe’s
“Combining his interest in human socialization with his biomedical research, Dr. Paul Zak and his team have examined a connection between how we're rewarded with positive feelings and emotions when we do things with people we trust. Lacing this together with Peter Drucker's timeless leadership wisdom presents an interesting opportunity for all of us to become better people, better partners, better leaders, and more effective contributors to society.”—Curt Pullen, Chairman of the Advisory Board, The Drucker Institute, and former Executive Vice President and President of North America, Herman Miller
“Trust is at the core of loyalty, advocacy and satisfaction—with employees, customers and other stakeholder groups. Understanding the principles Paul reveals and how to operationalize them will change the way we think about how we create, motivate and sustain high-performance organizations that deliver business results.”— Donna Peebles, former SVP, AIG
“With his scientific understanding of oxytocin, Zak provides a set of glasses for looking at how trust motivates people at work, even as he romps through inspiring stories from the cultures of successful organizations.” —David Nott, President, Reason Foundation
“Although trust is certainly a worthy aspiration, what if it could be more? What if your organization could better understand it, link it to engagement and performance, and build a culture that fostered it? What if your organization could use trust as competitive advantage? Trust Factor provides actionable advice—grounded in neuroscience—on how your organization can use trust to fuel higher levels of engagement and performance.”—Walter McFarland, coauthor of Choosing Change and Board Chair Emeritus of the Association for Talent Development
About the Author
Product details
- ASIN : B01HUER0ZG
- Publisher : AMACOM; Illustrated edition (January 2, 2017)
- Publication date : January 2, 2017
- Language : English
- File size : 2.6 MB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 245 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #53,762 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
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Dr. Paul J. Zak is Distinguished University Professor at Claremont Graduate University and is ranked in the top 0.3% of most cited scientists with over 200 published papers and more than 20,000 citations to his research. Paul’s two decades of research have taken him from the Pentagon to Fortune 50 boardrooms to the rainforest of Papua New Guinea. Along the way he help start a number of interdisciplinary fields including neuroeconomics, neuromanagement, and neuromarketing. He has written three general audience books and is a regular TED speaker. His newest book is Immersion: The Science of the Extraordinary and Source of Happiness.
Paul is also a four time tech entrepreneur; his current company, Immersion Neuroscience, is a software platform that allows anyone to measure what the brain loves in real-time to improve outcomes in entertainment, education and training, advertising and live events. Immersion has also released an emotional fitness app, SIX, that uses neural signals and AI to help people measure and improve their emotional fitness and is available for free at the App and Play stores. He frequently appears in the media in such places as Good Morning America, Dr. Phil, Fox & Friends, ABC Evening News, and his work has been reported in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Time, The Economist, Scientific American, Fast Company, Forbes, and various podcasts. Fun fact: he is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and has created dialog for two movies.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book provides a toolbox for building trust and better organizational performance. They describe it as a great read with clear discussions and examples. Readers appreciate the author's credibility and reliability. The storyline is interesting and relatable, with brief recaps at the end of each chapter.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book provides a toolbox for building trust. They say it helps convince executives who might otherwise reject new ideas. The book is filled with important insights about how to promote cohesion and community in organizations. It's a great resource for personal enrichment for leaders or OB people.
"...Not only does this facilitate acceptance of changes, it also helps convince executives who might otherwise reject new ideas...." Read more
"...The data provided in this book makes it clear that high trust cultures outperform others and provides insights on how to transform your culture...." Read more
"...grasp of both the business side as well as the neurochemical basis of great leadership principles...." Read more
"...This book is aimed towards managers and filled with important insights about how to promote cohesion and community in organizations...." Read more
Customers find the book easy to read and engaging. They appreciate the author's skill in communicating and find the concept of the book compelling. Readers consider it one of the best leadership books.
"...not only to the credibility of the material but also to the readability of the book...." Read more
"Phenomenal book. I look at it as Lencioni on steroids...." Read more
"...I’ve read Zak’s two previous books, and he’s an excellent writer, with a gift for communicating complicated ideas in simple prose." Read more
"This is a must to read...." Read more
Customers find the book well-written and readable. They appreciate the clear discussions about improving employee trust. The book is supported by studies and data that show that culture matters in organizations.
"...There's plenty of data to back them up, too, which will be needed when convincing others that change is a good idea...." Read more
"...I’ve read Zak’s two previous books, and he’s an excellent writer, with a gift for communicating complicated ideas in simple prose." Read more
"I loved the concept of the book, it is plagued with examples and stats that point to one fact: when employees trust their employers and are..." Read more
"...The author provided aspects fundamentally in terms of the organization's culture developed and transformation." Read more
Customers find the book credible and reliable. They mention it's useful and in good condition.
"...These examples contribute not only to the credibility of the material but also to the readability of the book...." Read more
"...presentation on trust, I found his information incredibly useful and reliable." Read more
"Great condition" Read more
Customers find the storyline engaging. They appreciate the author's stories about his research and experiences, as well as the brief recaps at the end of each chapter. They also like the real-life examples included throughout the text.
"...Zak tells great stories regarding both his research and interview/experiences with some of the great business leaders/companies of our time...." Read more
"I like the real life examples included throughout text, as well as the brief recaps at the end of each chapter." Read more
"I have read it a couple of times and find it interesting and so connected to what is going on in organizations...." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2017We've all seen (or been part of) organizations with cultures that were, if not actually toxic, far from motivating. When team members are disengaged, the organization is much less effective. Turf-grabbing and butt-covering can become more important than fulfilling the company's mission. In Trust Factor, Paul Zak goes way beyond hugs and oxytocin to show that greater trust leads to better organizational performance. He then defines eight factors that statistically explain 100% of the variations in trust in organizations. Conveniently, their first letters spell O-X-Y-T-O-C-I-N.
That acronym may sound gimmicky, but Zak documents each factor with research from his and other labs. Each chapter includes relevant anecdotes and examples from real-world companies. These examples contribute not only to the credibility of the material but also to the readability of the book. Each chapter includes a few action items at its close to encourage readers to act on what they are reading.
The first factor, for example, is Ovation. Zak shows how recognition affects attitude and performance, and explains the right and wrong way to invoke this factor. (Hint: your "Employee of the Month" award may be doing more harm than good.)
One aspect I liked was Zak's emphasis on business experiments. Too many business books say, "Do this, it will work." Of course, no single approach or solution is right for every organization or problem. Zak encourages the reader to implement ideas as experiments with a defined checkpoint where the results are evaluated. Not only does this facilitate acceptance of changes, it also helps convince executives who might otherwise reject new ideas.
I found the recommendations in Trust Factor to be clear and actionable. There's plenty of data to back them up, too, which will be needed when convincing others that change is a good idea. It's almost certain that in a climate that has been distrustful for years there will be pushback from some team members. Change isn't easy, but Zak provides the tools to persuade.
Of necessity, I read dozens of business books each year. (Preparing for a weekly podcast alone accounts for 50+.) It's very early to make this call, but I'm confident Trust Factor will be one of my top ten book recommendations for the year.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2022If you are looking to improve performance at your organization, start with culture. The data provided in this book makes it clear that high trust cultures outperform others and provides insights on how to transform your culture. I was convinced of this before reading this book and now have data to support it.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2017Phenomenal book. I look at it as Lencioni on steroids. Takes a lot of ideas that others (Lencioni, Ferazzi, Maxwell) have talked about and brought the science in to explain the basis of the human behavior. Zak tells great stories regarding both his research and interview/experiences with some of the great business leaders/companies of our time. He has a good grasp of both the business side as well as the neurochemical basis of great leadership principles. Zak has an interesting background (approach) as an economist now neuroscientist who works both in the field and the lab to understand human behavior and organizational dynamics. I highly recommend this book.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2023I like the real life examples included throughout text, as well as the brief recaps at the end of each chapter.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars and he’s an excellent writer, with a gift for communicating complicated ideas ...
Paul Zak is one of the nation’s premier experts in social trust. This book is aimed towards managers and filled with important insights about how to promote cohesion and community in organizations. I’ve read Zak’s two previous books, and he’s an excellent writer, with a gift for communicating complicated ideas in simple prose.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2017I have read it a couple of times and find it interesting and so connected to what is going on in organizations. Its value deserves more spread to different cultures. I admire his ability to get it clearly expressed to such a degree that most readers will find interesting to read.--by Jennifer Zhihui Guo from China, Researcher of Organizational Trust
- Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2021This is a must to read. I love the practical applications of the hard science and how Paul J Zac makes his research findings accessible for all readers.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2017Although Zak is slightly dogmatic in his approach and leaves little room for questions or doubt, the strong element of his argument is that workers need autonomy in their work. This is confirmed by many academics. He is not very critical about tech giants like Google and Linkedin who are first of all collecting data for their own benefit and not so much to please their users.
Top reviews from other countries
- C. G. SneijdersReviewed in Spain on November 17, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars great reminder that engagement is essential
great research that engagement and trust is essential for companies to be successful, stay in the business and attract the right people
- Dr R Stuart-KotzeReviewed in the United Kingdom on September 30, 2019
3.0 out of 5 stars Gimmicky
Largely a self-promotion for own tests and programs.
- Zoe E. RouthReviewed in Australia on August 25, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars science-backed good stories of building more human workplaces for joy and profit
This text is grounded in case study after case study, steeped in neuroscience and great research.
My critique is around style rather than substance: using acronyms to capture a methodology makes my teeth grind. Inevitably the words are twisted to fit: eXpectation for example. Hard to remember.
Otherwise a solid book with concrete takeaways for building better cultures, boost trust, and increase performance.
-
akiokiReviewed in Germany on June 24, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars Guter Mann - wichtiges Thema
Überall vergriffen hab ich es doch ergattert. Zak ist ein Spezialist und kann seine Theorien auf Basis eigener Untersuchungen seines Instituts erstellen.
- AmberReviewed in Canada on March 9, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read for Owners
Excellent book. A must read for owners and anyone in a managerial position. Command & Control method of running iyour business s killing it and this book proves it - scientifically.