Trust starts at the top, but doesn’t stop there

In the next issue of the Northern Colorado Business Report, we will reveal this year’s winners of the Better Business Bureau’s Torch Awards. We are proud to be a longtime sponsor of this event as well as a longtime supporter of the BBB.

The theme of the BBB and its awards is “Start with trust.” While the seven Torch winners from Northern Colorado and Southern Wyoming will be recognized on April 23 for their outstanding commitment to ethical business practices, I think it is important to remember the central role trust plays in the operation of all businesses, every day.

Trust is vitally important to a company in the publishing business such as ours. Our mission is to be the best-known, most-trusted, most turned-to provider of business content, information and data in Northern Colorado. Our customers – both advertisers and readers – rely on us and trust us to deliver that content in a timely and accurate manner. If we fail in our mission, we are obviously going to lose customers.

I believe trust emanates from the top down. If I can’t be trustworthy, I’m going to have a difficult time hiring staff members who are trustworthy, and that would mean that NCBR would have a difficult time performing at a high level. It would affect both our operations – getting every issue of the newspaper reported, edited, produced, printed and delivered – and our financial performance.

How do you build that sort of trust? There are many components – things like humility, sharing in successes, not blaming others – these are all traits that inspire trust.

It’s no secret that our industry is facing particularly challenging times at the moment. As a publisher who has had to make – and will continue to be called upon to make – difficult decisions to ensure the continued success of this newspaper, I can say that the trust placed in me by my staff as well as the region’s business community at large is one of the most important, if not vital, assesses I – or any business owner, for that matter – could possibly possess.

I look forward to seeing you all at the 11th annual BBB Torch Awards dinner on April 23 at the Fort Collins Marriott. The event includes a reception at 5 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m.

The Torch Awards honor companies that demonstrate exemplary management practices, uphold high standards in relationships with customers, suppliers and shareholders, show honesty and integrity in marketing and advertising, and give back to their communities.

For more information, call the Better Business Bureau serving Northern Colorado and Greater Wyoming at 470-484-1348 or visit www.wynco.bbb.org.

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