TRUST FACTOR | Book Review

Cultures are the way social creatures transmit information about
how we do things and the values we hold sacred. (p. 3)

Paul Zak offers a biological basis for the formation of trust, or a persuasive explanation how me may best energize ourselves and others. Zak was the first scientist to show that the brain synthesizes the neurochemical oxytocin, and that oxytocin causes us to reciprocate by being trustworthy (p. 5).

Jim Collins has written a lot about Core Values and stresses the need for alignment. Zak informs us that the energy source for living our values is oxytocin. An organization’s performance can be stated as an engineering relationship three components – people, organization, and purpose – determine performance (p. 9).

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.579459/fullOvation

 Peter Drucker wrote:

“Your first and foremost job as a leader
is to take charge of your own energy and then
help to orchestrate the energy of those around you.” (p. 25)

Zak’s book is structured around the acronym OXYTOCIN, and this review selects key passages from each of his eight key chapters and their relevance to best leader practices.

Ovation

Think of ovation as a deliberate form of appreciation, or a type of feedback. There are two routes through which Ovation affects the brain and therefore motivation and teamwork. First Ovation can cause the direct release of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain (p. 34). This reminds me of my last direct report team while working at ITT. We called ourselves the six-pack and started every Monday morning stand up meeting with one team member recognizing another for an achievement or team contribution performed in the past week the rest of the group was unaware of. Zak informs us that dopamine’s effect is most powerful when Ovation is unexpected, tangible, and personal (p. 34).

eXpectation

Another form of feedback is coaching, and we can recall the Academy Leadership definition of performance coaching as the process of equipping people with the tools, knowledge, and opportunities they need to develop themselves and become more successful. Zak delineates between chronic stress, the kind that weighs on our shoulders and never seems to dissipate with challenge stress, which is good for us (p. 47). When we provide an environment of challenge stress our oxytocin level increases far more than our stress hormones. This is probably why a SPRINT-type management methodology with frequent feedback is far superior to our antiquated annual performance reviews (APRs).

Yield

Successful leaders generously delegate. 

Just like the huddle used in sports, a supervisor’s role
in a high Yield organization is akin to a coach
or counselor rather than an omniscient dictator. (p. 69)

 Delegation alone is not enough. Consider delegating even when mistakes are likely to occur and fostering a team environment whereby sharing successes and failures openly leads to higher engagement. Often younger and less-experienced colleagues are your chief innovators (p. 74). The more we solicit and offer feedback, the greater chances for insights and innovation.

Transfer

In his seminal work Drive, Dan Pink cites autonomy, mastery and purpose and genuine motivators once we’re paid enough to not “think about money.” Transfer is akin to mastery. A 2012 Intelligent Office Work IQ Survey found that nearly two-thirds of employees aspire to be autonomous at work (p. 85). Another operative term is flexibility. Business publications such as the Wall Street Journal continue printing articles about employee dissatisfaction “returning to office,” post-Covid. Loss of Transfer, autonomy and flexibility are likely causes.

Openness

Pfeffer and Sutton discover the few organizations that have crossed The Knowing-Doing-Gap treat knowledge as an active sharing process, rather than something to file and protect from others. Openness is Zak’s aggressive form of Knowledge Sharing. Only 40 percent of employees report that they are well informed about their companies, goals, strategies, and tactics (p. 102). Recall in Academy Leadership Core Values Alignment workshops, we stress making fundamental decisions such as hiring and firing based on shared values before developing strategies.

Caring

In the past few years, empathy is increasingly an articulated value in Personal Leadership Philosophy workshops. Perhaps this reflects the trend toward seeking purpose in our work. Zak finds that caring environments are more productive and innovative. Teamwork, including the stress of eXpectation, stimulates the release of oxytocin, which increases empathy between work colleagues (p. 119). My belief is teamwork, coupled with an abundance mindset leads to breakthrough, innovation, and ultimately, gratitude.

Invest

Invest is another term for a developmental mindset and environment. Jennifer Deal reaffirmed in What Millennials Want From Work that younger generations expect a developmental plan as part of the employer/employee social contract. Accenture’s 2015 survey of college graduates finds that for those in their 20s, the most important factor in selecting a workplace is professional development. Contrast this expectation with the typical large company identifying a very small group of “High Potentials” for career advancement. Excluding so many is a recipe for disengagement and high turnover.

Natural

Authenticity and vulnerability well describe Zak’s term Natural. Rather than attempt a facade of all-knowing perfection, simply be human. Zak cites Jim Whitehurst, CEO of open-source software maker Red Hat:

“I found that being very open about the things I did not know
actually had the opposite effect than I would have thought.
It helped me build credibility.” (p. 156)

People have great BS detectors, in addition to unlimited access to information. Authenticity is a requirement in all leaders today.

Summary

Zak untimely concludes

Joy = Trust x Purpose

And that effective cultures cause colleagues to experience Joy at work (p. 172). We can also think of Joy as a form of gratitude, or a very concentrated energy source. For a deeper dive, Zak offers an Ofactor survey at Ofactor.com/book to measure trust in your organization and the eight factors that create trust (p. 29).

Trust profoundly improves and organizational performance
by providing the foundation of effective teamwork
and intrinsic motivation. (p. 7)