Trustworthy government

Vice President Al Gore declares that "reducing [the] 'trust deficit' is an important initiative of the Clinton/Gore administration." Studies reveal that the majority of U.S. citizens distrust their own government and many public employees do not trust the organizations in which they work. Since trust is central to any organization's achievement of high performance, and high performance is number one on the government reform agenda, it is imperative that government overcome this trust deficit and work to build trust within its ranks. By identifying the key connections between trust, learning, and high performance, Trustworthy Government shows how to restore trust in contemporary public organizations. David Carnevale explains that trust and distrust are not destiny - they arise from the choices organizations make about how they will be designed and managed. He develops a comprehensive model of trust that goes beyond the management theories of the past, and he reveals the actions needed to build higher levels of trust in the workplace. Carnevale explains the concept of trust within an organization and shows how trust influences individual, group, and organizational performance. More important, he shows that trust is at the core of an organization's success. . Intended for executives and managers as well as students and academics, Trustworthy Government is based on an empirical study of state government employees and is grounded in research and years of professional experience. Because the book illustrates the links between core management processes such as motivation, leadership, communication, power, conflict, politics, employee involvement, and human resources, it is an appropriate text for instructors in public organizational behavior, organizational theory, management, personnel administration, and labor relations. Carnevale shows the key processes public-sector practitioners can employ to build trust in the workplace. He explains how to foster reciprocal trust and how to go beyond traditional approaches to establish higher levels of learning and performance.