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Facebook has dropped an almighty clanger and Mark Zuckerberg has appeared before Congress explaining and apologising for data breaches. The fallout from the Cambridge Analytica scandal has seen people leaving the social media platform in droves, and as individuals, we\u2019re all busy trying to fathom which permissions we\u2019ve given which apps, who knows what about us, and what they might be using it for.<\/p>\n
These are unsettling times. The press is warning us of potential cyber attacks from Russian hackers while across Europe and the UK, businesses are examining the data they store as they prepare for GDPR. We live in a sceptical world, an era of fake news and data mining, but the Facebook issue has exposed a very human failing \u2013 even though we know the value of data, we like to trust people.<\/p>\n
We want to trust because we\u2019re social animals, and no relationships \u2013 business, social or personal \u2013\u00a0 can survive without trust. A world without trust would be a world of corrosive cynicism where nothing could be built.<\/p>\n
Millions of us have Facebook accounts. We\u2019ve tolerated the advertising and ignored the rubbish, where we can. We\u2019ve enjoyed the convenience, the social interactions and the connections it has created, but, sadly, it seems that the giant wasn\u2019t worthy of our trust. Now, Facebook and other social media providers are busy trying to reassure their users that they\u2019re not the bad guys and that they are worthy of our trust.<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t a new thing for businesses. The banking sector came up against the same issue a decade ago and has struggled to regain respect and credibility. At the opposite end of the scale, tradesmen fight a constant battle to juggle a fluctuating workload and stick to promised schedules. In the property rental sector, the language reflects the bad apple, not the majority, but we\u2019re still more used to the media mentioning rogue landlords and dodgy tenants. Unfortunately, bad press, even where it\u2019s not warranted, tends to leave a stain.<\/p>\n
A new database has just been launched. It\u2019s a tool for local housing authorities in England to keep track of rogue landlords and property agents and to help drive up standards. But there\u2019s a problem: it looks like the public won\u2019t be able to access the information. This half-measure will do little or nothing to help the vulnerable tenant. If you can\u2019t check the database, how do you know if your landlord is on it? A measure that could have helped to build public trust in the sector won\u2019t.<\/p>\n
But we\u2019re not helpless. Trust isn\u2019t something you can buy, and it isn\u2019t something that\u2019s magically granted. It\u2019s earned. It\u2019s earned by being honest, loyal, competent and reliable. If you\u2019re consistent with those qualities, trust will follow.<\/p>\n
If a landlord says he\u2019ll sort a problem \u2018this week\u2019 just to keep a tenant happy, but doesn\u2019t because he can\u2019t find a contractor, he\u2019s doing nothing to build trust. If he says he\u2019ll confirm a date as soon as possible, does so and ensures the job\u2019s been carried out to the tenant\u2019s satisfaction, he\u2019s building confidence. Trust is perhaps the most valuable business asset, but it doesn\u2019t expect miracles. It expects accountability.<\/p>\n
We can all be accountable. We can keep our obligations, give updates, deliver on genuine promises, address problems constructively and respect those we deal with.\u00a0 I don\u2019t believe we should put up with a culture where there is suspicion, cynicism and mistrust when our everyday words, actions and decisions can build something much more positive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Facebook has dropped an almighty clanger and Mark Zuckerberg has appeared before Congress explaining and apologising for data breaches. The fallout from the Cambridge Analytica scandal has seen people leaving the social media platform in droves, and as individuals, we\u2019re all busy trying to fathom which permissions we\u2019ve given which apps, who knows what about […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":11204,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n