In Part 2 of this episode of Paradigm Shifting Books, hosts Stephen and Britain Covey continue their conversation with their father, Stephen M. R. Covey, bestselling author of The Speed of Trust. Picking up where Part 1 left off, this half dives deeper into what high-trust leadership looks like in practice, from boardrooms to family dinner tables, and why the companies that are already good at trust are the ones most determined to get better at it.

Stephen M. R. Covey walks through real-world examples of organizations that used trust as a performance multiplier, including Frito-Lay's Al Carey and the iconic Doritos Locos Taco partnership with Taco Bell, a billion-dollar product launched without a contract because two CEOs trusted each other completely. He unpacks the five waves of trust and makes the case that everything starts from the inside out, beginning with self-trust.

The episode also gets personal. Stephen and Britain revisit a teenage speeding ticket that became a masterclass in how trust is lost, owned, and rebuilt through behavior, not words. Stephen M. R. Covey shares his own story of having to restore trust with a colleague he had unfairly criticized as CEO, walking through what it actually looks like to behave your way back into a relationship. The episode closes with two immediately actionable takeaways for anyone who wants to increase trust this week.

What We Discuss

[00:00] Introduction
[01:30] Why companies that are already good at trust want to get even better
[02:53] Case study: Frito Lay, Taco Bell, and the billion dollar Doritos Locos Taco
[08:56] The five waves of trust
[16:17] Making and keeping commitments to yourself to rebuild self-trust
[18:13] Rebuilding trust once it's been lost: two paradigm shifts
[22:50] Britain's teenage speeding ticket story
[26:56] Stephen M. R. Covey's personal leadership failure
[32:54] Two practical takeaways to increase trust this week
[38:59] Closing reflections from Stephen and Britain

Resources

Paradigm Shifting Books

Book

The Speed of Trust by Stephen M. R. Covey

Stephen M. R. Covey

LinkedIn

Britain Covey

Stephen H. Covey

LinkedIn