Building trust in business, politics, relationships, and life - Robert C Solomon

In business, politics, marriage, indeed in any significant relationship, trust is the essential precondition upon which all real success depends. But what, precisely, is trust? How can it be achieved and sustained? And, most importantly, how can it be regained once it has been broken? In Building Trust, Robert C. Solomon and Fernando Flores offer compelling answers to these questions. They argue that trust is not something that simply exists from the beginning, something we can assume or take for granted; that it is not a static quality or "social glue." Instead, they assert that trust is an emotional skill, an active and dynamic part of our lives that we build and sustain with our promises and commitments, our emotions and integrity. In looking closely at theeffects of mistrust, such as insidious office politics that can sabotage a company's efficiency, Solomon and Flores demonstrate how to move from nave trust that is easily shattered to an authentic trust that is sophisticated, reflective, and possible to renew.
As the global economy makes us more and morereliant on "strangers," and as our political and personal interactions become more complex, Building Trust offers invaluable insight into a vital aspect of human relationships.

Robert C. Solomon is the Quincy Lee Centennial Professor of Business and Philosophy at the University of Texas, Austin. His books include A Short History of Philosophy and Business Ethics, both published by OUP. Fernando Flores is Presidente, Fundacin Chile (a Chilean non-governmental organization) and Chairman and CEO of Business Design Associates, Inc.

"This is a book about trust that you can trust to be comprehensive, creative, and interestingly iconoclastic. Solomon and Flores argue that trust sustains all forms of human relationships. They claim that without trust-Hobbes would have been right-life would be nasty, brutish, and short! This concise book alters and adds to the debate on trust, and is a gift and a challenge to its readers."-Al Gini, Associate Editor, Business Ethics Quarterly

"Trust is easy to break, hard to build, and more important than ever. Our increasingly fluid, network economy depends on trusting relationships. Solomon and Flores offer valuable insights into the subtle dynamics of trust. It's not as simple as you might think, but their treatment of the topic is lucid and intelligent."-Jay Ogilvy, Co-founder and Managing Director, Global Business Network

"Trust, claim the authors, is an emotional skill that we must first understand and then, practice to achieve. This thoughtful book, more a philosophical soliloquy than a how-to, is organized into three chapters that explore the many meanings of trust, pinpoint the most powerful "authentic" trust, and describe its elements."-Business Reader Review