The Bases

I remember the Yankees' Casey Stengel, the legendary manager who with the likes of Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford and Yogi Berra won five straight world championships and added two others.   But there was also the Mets' Casey Stengel, the highly frustrated manager who took a collection of ball players who in their first year lost 120 ball games.  In spring training of 1962 perhaps sensing what was about to unfold during this inaugural pathetic year, Stengel took his players for a stroll around the diamond.  "Them are the bases!" Casey explained.

Ignoring, abusing or simply not recognizing the power and dynamic influence of the public trust whether we're in business, government, academia, the professions or any other pursuit is tantamount to futility and failure.  Yes,  we can fake it for a while but treading on trust, scorning what enabled us to succeed and behaving badly will ultimately lead to our downfall.

There are "bases" to consider and the most important base begins at "home plate"--TRUST!

The Chicago Booth/Kellogg School publishes quarterly the Financial Trust Index which measures confidence Americans have in the private institutions in which they invest their money.  The Index is calculated on a sample of 1,000 American adults.  The most recent results published for the quarter ended December 2011 reflects that less than 25% of Americans trust our overall financial systems and the institutions operating within.  The stock market is trusted by 16%, large corporations by 17%, banks and mutual funds by 30%.  Folks, this is absurd--the low degree of trustworthiness in the fundamental and integral parts of our financial and economic lifeblood.  Can I trust you?  No! is our resounding response. 

Another respected measure of trust in institutions is the Edelman Trust Barometer.  The 2012 published report gives some insight into the appropriate focus companies must have to engender trust.  Edelman based on a survey of over 5,000 individuals in 23 countries in the age group of 25-64 found that corporate reputation and credibility is based on quality products/services (69%), transparent and honest business practices (65%), simple trust in a company (65%) and how a company treats its employees (63%).  This information is not really a revelation to us--we've known this for as long as people have bartered, traded or sold anything.  But we apparently are in need of constant reminding--"them are the bases."

The good news is that there are many companies and firms--the vast majority in my opinion--who get it right and know the bases of delivering quality producs/services, behaving well and treating customers, suppliers and employees as treasured relationships.  I'm sure you know of some.  I invite you to share them with us.  Tell me about companies and firms which "get it" and conduct their business honorably.  These are the companies which recognize the "bases" and know the game begins and ends at "home plate"--TRUST!

Ad astra, per aspera