Why trust the Speed of Trust?

I became a disciple of The SPEED of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything? after hearing the author speak for just 3 hours.  Why did I so quickly buy into the message?

Before I heard the author, Steven M. R. Covey speak, I had already been noticing things that supported his argument.  I already had tuned into the ebb and flow of energy and engagement in my team meetings and conference calls.  I had noticed that conference calls alone were a waste of time.  None of my team contacts were effective or engaged unless I talked to them 1 on 1 and asked them for their ideas and their concerns.  The behaviors that Covey recommends to build trust are the same behaviors that have been helping me get my team members engaged and eager to contribute.  Today, I cancelled a bi-monthly team meeting because I get more out of calling the 4 team members one at a time.  It takes more time for me, but it gives me more results because the person I speak to feels as if I care about them, I respect their needs and the pressures they are under, and I want their input.  In a group setting, at least not until we become a high functioning team, they would never express these needs so we would gloss over everything that really matters.

I think our corporate habit--and my personal habit--has been to designate a group of people to be a team, have meetings, expect instant collaboration and mutual support, and then get frustrated by the lack of progress.  What I've realized is that I need to transform my approach.  I need much more 1:1 discussions with all the team members, even if these have to happen by telephone in our decentralized organization, to build trust, clarify expectations, work through issues, etc.  Only then will the group meetings become energetic and effective.