RELATIONSHIP TRUST

The 13 Behaviors of High-Trust

Leaders Mini Session

BEHAVIOR DEFINITION OPPOSITE COUNTERFEIT

CHA R ACT ER

“Spinning,” positioning,
Tell the truth and
1 Talk Straight
demonstrate integrity.
To lie or deceive. posturing, and
manipulating.

Show that you genuinely To not respect or have

Demonstrate
2 Respect
care; show kindness in concern for other Faking respect or concern.
little things. people.

Be genuine, open, and Having hidden agendas,

Create To hide; to cover up; to
3 Transparency
authentic. Don’t hide
obscure.
hidden meanings, or
information. hidden objectives.

Apologize and make To deny or justify “Covering up,” disguising,

Right
4 Wrongs
restitution. Do the right wrongs; to rationalize or trying to hide mistakes
thing. wrongful behavior. instead of repairing them.

Being two-faced — 
Show Give credit to others and To take credit yourself;
5 Loyalty be loyal to the absent. to betray others.
appearing to give credit
to people.

CO M P ET EN CE

Accomplish what you

Deliver To perform poorly Delivering activities
6 Results
are hired to do. Don’t
or fail to deliver. instead of results.
make excuses.

Learn and improve. Be To deteriorate; to

Continually learning,
7 Get Better thankful for feedback “rest on your laurels”; to
but never producing.
and act upon it. become irrelevant.

Meet issues head on; To ignore reality or act Focusing attention

Confront
8 Reality
address the tough stuff as though it doesn’t on side issues while
directly. exist; to be “in denial.” skirting the real issues.

Failing to pin down the

Clarify Reveal, discuss, and To leave expectations
9 Expectations validate expectations. undefined or unclear.
specifics that facilitate
meaningful accountability.

Take responsibility for To not take responsibility

Practice Pointing fingers and
10 Accountability
results; communicate or “own up”: “It’s not my
blaming others.
how others are doing. fault.”

© Franklin Covey Co. All rights reserved.

 RELATIONSHIP TRUST

BEHAVIOR DEFINITION OPPOSITE COUNTERFEIT

C H A R AC T ER A N D CO M P ET EN CE

Listen before you

To speak first and listen “Listening” only to
11 Listen First speak and don’t
last; to not listen at all. formulate your reply.
make assumptions.

State your intent and

Keep then do what you say To break commitments Overpromising and
12 Commitments you’ll do. Don’t break or violate promises. underdelivering.
confidences.

Extending “false
Don’t withhold trust trust”— giving people the
13 Extend Trust
because risk is involved.
To withhold trust.
responsibility, but not the
authority or resources.

CH A RAC TER — B E H AV I OR S 1  – 5

What behavior could I focus on to build trust in my relationships?

CO MP E TENC E  — B E H AV I OR S 6 – 1 0

What behavior could I focus on to build trust in my relationships?

What commitment will I make to help the team get better in behaviors 11 – 13?

© Franklin Covey Co. All rights reserved.