Talk to me nice The seven trust languages for a better workplace

"Trust is vital to how we grow in our jobs and become leaders," according to this helpful guide. Workplace consultant Harts (The Memo) outlines seven qualities for building trust in the workplace, including sensitivity, transparency, and follow-through. Explaining the different ways one might observe the tenet of "acknowledgment," Harts suggests that some people might want their ideas recognized by having the opportunity to present them to senior staff, while others might prefer to be left alone in acknowledgment of their autonomy. Harts provides guidance for managers and employees alike, as when she explores the importance of acting in accordance with one's stated principles by warning supervisors against appearing to play favorites and by encouraging workers to take responsibility for and rectify their mistakes. The conversational tone reads like a missive from a close friend and the advice for managers is sensible, but some of the recommendations for employees are relatively undercooked. For instance, Harts's proposal for how workers can foster a sense of emotional and psychological security in the office consists only of the vague imperative to "speak up and use your voice." Still, business leaders eager to improve office morale will find much of use. Agent: Byrd Leavell, UTA. (July)

The workplace of the 21st century is one of broken trust. Employees have been offered too many promises before being surprised by announcements of layoffs and reversals. Managers themselves have had to figure out how to motivate employees who can be work from offices throughout the world or from their own homes. Harts (Right Within), a consultant, develops seven workplace trust languages as a way for employers and employees to rebuild faith in each other. Based on concepts from Gary Chapman's The 5 Love Languages, Harts offers a new toolkit for communication, centered around trust languages that can be used to improve workplace dynamics. With a blend of humor, personal experience, and practical advice, Harts investigates how to use the concepts of sensitivity, transparency, security, demonstration, feedback, acknowledgement, and follow-through to develop a functioning workplace. Harts includes questionnaires, assessments, and end-of-chapter questions to help readers work through the process themselves. The book ends with a chart on how organizations on different paths of the seven languages can begin to institute them in a way that encourages trust. VERDICT Harts breaks down the main impediments harming trust on the job and offers a way for managers and employees to more effectively communicate and create a better workplace.--John Rodzvilla