Leadership and Sales BLOG

As I've researched leadership with a Hawaiian twist, I've been connecting with the Island community here in Colorado. One thing that becomes readily apparent is that family (or "ohana" in Hawaiian) is not defined solely by blood relation. At a gathering of Hawaiians, everyone quickly becomes an "Uncle" or "Auntie" to the kids and friendships blossom.

While friendships form quickly, trust takes longer. In social settings, friends make plans for barbeques or golf games. In business settings, we form bonds of trust a bit more slowly. Can you depend on a partner to follow through on her commitments? Will a businessman adhere to a handshake or written agreement? In the perfect world the answer to both of those questions is a resounding "Yes!" The people we interact with daily watch us carefully to see whether our words match our actions.

Kevin Roberts F.A.C.H.E. is the President and CEO of Castle Medical Center in Kailua, Hawaii. In a recent interview, he spoke about trust building with competitors and offered this insight.

"We have competition and conflict, but it's not nearly as widespread as I experienced on the mainland. Here, it's a completely different ethos. There's an ability to preserve our roles (to employers) and confidentiality without strife. (In Hawaii) you don't have to 'conquer' others to be successful"

What would building trust in your niche of the business community do for you? Better yet, consider the ways you can be the catalyst for increased trust. Treating people like family isn't a weakness in business, it actually enhances communication and trust.

Click this link to see the Aloha Leadership keynote http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=105851563&TemplateId=156&lnkkey=Link2&utm_source=ORM&utm_medium=notification&utm_term=viewvideo&utm_campaign=Group41EmailVideo