The Business of Meetings – Episode 170 – How Trust is Impacting Business and Life with Dr. Yoram Solomon
Today we have the great pleasure of speaking with Dr. Yoram Solomon!
With an impressive background that includes organizing, facilitating, and speaking at five or six TED conferences, Yoram has emerged as a prominent figure in the realm of trust and entrepreneurship. His extensive expertise is reflected in the 19 books he has authored on the subject, showcasing his unwavering commitment to unlocking the power of trust. He also has a podcast called The Trust Show.
Step into the world of trust and inspiration today as we bring you an exclusive conversation with the remarkable Yoram Solomon! In this episode, we delve into the captivating world of trust and the behind-the-scenes magic of TED conferences, and we uncover the invaluable insights of the guru of trust!
Bio:
Dr. Yoram Solomon is the author of The Book of TRUST and host of The TRUST Show podcast. He published a total of 19 books, holds 9 patents, and was one of the creators of Wi-Fi and USB 3.0 technologies, for which he was dubbed “TI’s Great Innovator.” Dr. Solomon was named one of the top 10 global thought leaders in Culture and HR by Thinkers360 and one of the Top 40 Innovation Bloggers by Innovation Excellence. He was a columnist at Inc. Magazine, Innovation Excellence, and other publications, where he published 300+ articles.
Dr. Solomon holds a Ph.D. in Organization and Management from Capella University, an MBA from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, an LLB from the Tel-Aviv University Law School, and an Associate Degree in Electrical Engineering from Ort Singalovski. He completed the Executive Marketing Management Program at Stanford University and the Developing the Strategic Leader program at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) in Colorado Springs. Dr. Solomon is certified by CCL to administer the KEYS and SKILLSCOPE assessments and is an authorized provider of school board training by the Texas Education Agency.
He has founded several startups and sold a startup company in Silicon Valley. He has held various positions from General Manager of a $100m business unit in a Fortune 200 company to Vice-President of Corporate Strategy and Innovation and CEO.
Dr. Solomon held (and still holds) positions as an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship and innovation at Southern Methodist University, the University of Texas at Dallas, and Hadassah Academic College in Jerusalem.
A National Speakers Association Professional Speaker, he spoke at several different national and regional conferences, including the Human Resources Southwest Annual Conference, the Association for Strategic Planning National Conference, CDX Annual Conference, and many more.
Yoram was the host of the first TEDx Plano (2014) and spoke at TEDx Oaklawn (2018) and TEDx Plano Senior HS (2022). His customers include a wide range of Fortune 500 companies as well as startups, for-profit, non-profit, and government organizations, in a broad spectrum of industries from technology to retail, healthcare, defense, and education. He served companies such as AT&T, Dannon, Amway, Texas Instruments, and many more, who described his keynotes and workshops as transformative.
In 2015, he was elected to the Plano Independent School District Board of Trustees. Yoram served in the IDF 35th Airborne Paratrooper Brigade and as a USAF CAP pilot and Aerospace Education Officer.
How Yoram’s passion for trust came about
Thirty years ago, Yoram started his journey as an engineer, immersing himself in software and hardware development. His unwavering passion for innovation always burned brightly within him, and he found it challenging to select a topic for his doctoral dissertation that would not only enrich his own life but also enhance the lives of others. So he embarked on an endeavor that diverged from the prevailing notion that a good dissertation is a completed one, and a question emerged: Why do individuals display greater creativity in small startup companies compared to larger, more established ones? That inquiry deeply resonated with his personal experiences, and it started his two-year research journey, which ultimately revealed that the answer lay within the realm of innovation culture, encompassing the vital elements of autonomy, accountability, and constructive disagreement. However, an unexpected revelation awaited him—a paradigm shift from innovation to a foundational aspect of human interaction: trust. Yoram discovered that the absence of trust within organizations manifested in various forms, impeding the elements that fostered a culture of innovation. This realization propelled Yoram onto a new path of exploration, where he found himself standing at a crossroads, torn between the domains of innovation and trust. Seeking counsel, he turned to his closest friends and family. Despite their overwhelming support for innovation, he resolutely chose to delve into the profound depths of trust. That marked the beginning of his transformation into the trust man, and he embarked on a remarkable journey to unravel the intricate dynamics of trust and its profound impact on entrepreneurship and human collaboration.
Becoming a professional speaker
Being a professional speaker has become the main focus of Yoram’s life. He only discovered his passion at 50, after working as an executive in the technology sector and running a $100 million business unit at Texas Instruments. Approaching his 50th birthday, he realized he did not want to spend his days idly. Recognizing his love for researching, writing, and speaking, he decided to explore the possibility of turning those interests into a profession. In 2015, he took a leap of faith and left his position as an Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategy to start his own business.
How to instill trust within a team
Yoram believes trust is relative, non-universal, and varies depending on individual personalities and behaviors. He believes that analyzing the trusting relationships within a team is essential for building trust, and the level of a team’s vulnerability gets determined by the least trusted person. Trust can develop over time through better understanding, training, or adjusting personality conflicts. Yoram explains that holding onto someone the team does not trust could compromise the performance of the whole team.
Political correctness
High levels of political correctness can lead to a lack of trust because people may not say what they truly mean. Conversely, individuals may hesitate to express their true thoughts and feelings when trust is lacking.
Constructive disagreements
Constructive disagreement is significantly higher when there is trust among individuals. Yoram conducted a survey where he asked participants about their perspectives on agreements. He provided options ranging from disagreements being unproductive to passionately disagreeing with someone while remaining friends. The results showed that the positive responses outweighed the negative ones by 71% in contexts where trust was present.
Yoram’s eighth book
Yoram’s eighth book is titled Cause of Death: Political Correctness. He co-authored it with Laurie Van, a counselor specializing in non-suicidal self-injury and suicide among teenagers. The book explores how political correctness negatively affects the creativity and productivity of children and is divided into three parts: the impact of political correctness, its manifestations, and consequences; the reasons behind its existence; and a connection between events and the culture of litigation in America.
Yoram’s first TED Talk
Yoram’s first TED Talk was titled The Day That Forever Changed America’s Culture. In it, he discussed the culture of litigation in the US and its impact on human resources and productivity.
A major problem in current politics
Yoram believes that a problem in current politics is how money influences elections. He argues that money buys votes and suggests that one solution would be eliminating money-funded advertisements. Removing such advertisements would reduce the ability of wealthy individuals or corporations to influence politicians by paying for advertising. He feels the current system favors candidates who can afford extensive advertising, leaving many other candidates unheard of.
Money spent on political advertisements
Yoram proposes the elimination of money spent on political advertisements and political action committees (PACs). He believes that politicians should focus on working hard and engaging with people directly rather than relying on television or other forms of media.
Gun violence
Yoram believes that when it comes to gun violence, the real issue lies in the lack of responsibility and the divisive political culture that dehumanizes others. He emphasizes the importance of promoting understanding and unity rather than focusing on labels such as liberal or conservative.
Yoram explains how to do a Ted Talk
It is essential to select a topic that aligns with your expertise and is relevant and evergreen. Be proactive in finding TED events and organizers, and be one of the first to apply. Do your best to establish personal relationships with organizers to build trust. Once accepted, you must consider the time limit and script your content accordingly because you may find it difficult to condense your ideas into a short timeframe. During the TED Talk, consider both the live audience and the camera. It is essential to engage the live audience and elicit a reaction from them while also keeping the potential audience behind the camera in mind. That will ensure you communicate effectively both in person and through the camera.
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