THE OIL IN YOUR BUSINESS ENGINE
By Andró Griessel
6/12/2025
Think for a moment about the people you would trust with your life. The names that come to mind are likely family members or one or two close friends who have been with you through deep waters and probably a fair amount of mischief. The trust you place in these people is almost entirely about their intentions toward you. You know they want the best for you and that you can rely on them regardless of the circumstances. It is a gift to have such people in your life.
Unconditional Trust
If you stretch your mind a little further and think about people you do business with—not necessarily those close to your heart—can you name a few whom you trust unconditionally?
I hope you can.
This kind of trust, although the word is the same, has an entirely different set of requirements from personal-relationship trust. Competence in the relevant field, the care with which someone handles your affairs, the quality of their service or product, and how they address problems, mistakes, or disappointment—all these factors form the foundation of what you today simply call a trust relationship.
I do not know the people who came to your mind, but assuming your trust in them is based on the right principles (and not naivety), I am willing to bet that the individuals or businesses you thought of are successful in their respective fields.
The Trust Dividend
This leads to the logical, yet sometimes underestimated, conclusion that trust—and being trustworthy—is a fundamental ingredient for success in business and in life.
In his award-winning book The Speed of Trust, Stephen M.R. Covey refers to a “trust tax” or a “trust dividend.”
When there is no trust between two parties, everything takes longer. Everything must be precisely documented, more people need to be involved, second and third opinions are required, and so on.
This functions like a tax on the transaction because it increases the cost and/or the time required.
In the opposite scenario—where there is complete trust—things move much faster, and usually at a lower cost.
Of course, neither I nor Covey suggest blindly trusting every stranger who crosses your path.
Trust must be earned, and it takes time. Sometimes you may trust someone because they have already built a strong reputation and have been recommended by people whose judgement you trust. More often, however, this kind of trust only emerges after years of repeated proof of reliability. But what a powerful position to reach with your business partners.
Here is the bad news if you run a business or practise a profession and money (or what you can extract from the relationship) is the only thing that matters to you. It is nearly impossible to behave in a way that earns deep trust over long periods. Trustworthiness cannot be faked; it has to be part of your and your organisation’s character and culture.
Covey identifies 13 behaviours that consistently earn you the “trust dividend.” They are outlined below.
If you own a business or work with others, consider how many of these behaviours are present.
Character-Based Behaviours
- Be straightforward: Be honest, tell the truth, and communicate clearly.
- Demonstrate respect: Show that you care and treat people with respect.
- Create transparency: Be open and authentic. Avoid hidden agendas.
- Right wrongs: Apologise quickly when necessary, fix mistakes, and learn so that you don’t repeat them.
- Show loyalty: Give credit to others and speak positively about those who are not present.
Competence-Based Behaviours
- Deliver results: Do what needs to be done—on time and at a high standard.
- Improve: Work continuously on improving your knowledge, product, or service, even in small increments.
- Confront reality: Don’t shy away from difficult issues, even when they are uncomfortable.
- Clarify expectations: Make goals, roles, and standards clear from the outset.
- Be accountable: Hold yourself and others accountable for promised outcomes.
Combined Character and Competence Behaviours
- Listen first: Seek to understand before seeking to be understood.
- Keep commitments: Do what you say you will do. Be cautious about making promises you cannot keep.
- Extend trust: Empower others with clear expectations.
If you read a book like Good to Great by Jim Collins, you will likely recognise many of these behaviours in the DNA of companies that transitioned from good to exceptional. Similarly, literature on leadership consistently points to these traits in strong leaders.
Trust is like oil in an engine—no one thinks about it until it is gone, and then things begin to overheat quickly.
I always smile when people talk about equal outcomes and try to enforce measures to place individuals or organisations on equal footing. Such a thing does not exist. The best and fairest system is one of equal opportunity.
People who exhibit the behaviours described by Covey rise above the rest. You can hit the reset button a hundred times, but a person, organisation, or country that does not embody this mindset (often due to weak leadership) will never be able to compete with those who have built it into their DNA from the start.
Andró Griessel is a certified financial planner at Woodland Wealth. Contact him at info@woodlandwealth.co.za.
Although all possible care has been taken in the preparation of this document, the factual correctness of the information contained herein cannot be guaranteed. This document does not constitute advice and anyone who intends to take any financial action based on this document is strongly advised to first consult with his/her personal financial advisor. Woodland Wealth is an authorized financial service provider with FSP no. 5966.