Most authors write about trust's importance and go on and on about how trust can make a person better and more successful.

Hyler Bracey bucks the trust trend with his book, "Building Trust: How to Get It! How to Keep It!" In 103 pages with larger print type, Bracey creates an easy-to-read volume filled with practical advice and numerous personal anecdotes. He calls it a "step by step method for building trust, interpersonally and organizationally."

In his introduction, Bracey points out the flawed theories that we have often heard relating to trust, which after reading his book should quickly send up red flags in our thinking. Do you know anyone who has said (or at least appeared to ascribe to) a few of these flawed theories?

"I hold an important title and powerful position in this company so you should trust me."

"I have years of experience in this area so you should trust me."

"I can win the trust of others simply by calling for it."

Position, experience and competitive attitudes won't help you earn trust, Bracey writes. He shares what he has learned through his decades of corporate consulting and his current "retirement" as a nationally known inspirational corporate speaker and author.

Bracey, perhaps knows more than most of us about the ingredients for survival and success. In 1970, he survived a racing accident. Given a 10 percent chance to live, doctors had to perform skin grafts over 45 percent of his body. The resulting scars might have dissuaded others from going out in public, but for Bracey, the thought of hiding only spurred him to overcome that fear—something he credits to his inner self.

"It's not courage that made us survive," he writes on behalf of burn victims. "It's because they and I had been acknowledged and had developed an internal reservoir of belief in ourselves."

"Building Trust" is very much about Bracey, what he has learned and his particular insight. He seeks to go beyond the dictionary definition of trust and develops a succinct trust plan from which readers can benefit.

He also uses a pneumonic device to set up the entire book by making TRUST an acronym for the chapters: Transparent (be open and easily readable), Responsive (give honest, respectful feedback), Use caring (say or do from your heart), Sincere (be accountable, integral and congruent) and Trustworthy (be honest and honor your word). Each chapter is filled with practical, detailed steps to achieve each aspect of Bracey's TRUST definition.

Simply reading the anecdote boxes scattered throughout the chapters can be a help to readers. As an example, Bracey writes about how building trust through action and how he handles a phone call from a prospect by asking why the person called and what they are looking for—their goals for the particular speaking engagement. He then speaks in a way that shows he has listened and is looking for the caller's best interests, making himself as transparent as possible because phone conversations preclude nonverbal responses to the caller's comments. If he isn't getting answers he needs, he'll ask if there's someone who owns responsibility for the success of the event with whom he might speak.

It's clear that Bracey takes a direct approach. He creates time-bound agreements with people and expects them to honor them. A promised call happens exactly on schedule—not a minute before, not a minute after. If the client is unavailable, he makes sure the assistant knows he had the appointment and asks for the boss to be informed that Bracey kept the appointment. He sees that as one more way to let everyone know that you are committed and honor your word.

With examples such as that packed in the book, Bracey certainly has filled the empty spot on the bookshelf next to the trust platitude books with his practical "Building Trust: How to Get It! How to Keep It!" e

Building Trust is available through www.hylerbracey.com.