Building a System of Trust: Ten Hidden Secrets of Success in Employee-Owned Companies is the first in a three part series that discusses the elements of a "trust system":

1. Shared Vision and Purpose – "A shared strategic vision aligns teams onto one central target. This enables trust by ensuring that everyone has the same ultimate agenda, going in the same direction for the same reason."
   
   
2. Balancing Self-Interest versus Greater Good – "Balancing self-interest with mutual interests is the essential commencement of trust building. It is here that employee ownership makes a unique contribution — it holds the possibility of actually aligning self-interests with what's for the greater good of all the stakeholders."
   
   
3. Honoring Differences, Respect and Integrity – "This is the essence of a high-trust organization — one that cherishes differences in thinking, while being intolerant of dishonorable actions. In turn, trust builds in an organization when people begin to see that their leaders are worthy of being trusted."