May 2, 2006-- The most important network in an organization? Some say it's the 'trust network'. Former MIT professor Karen Stephenson teaches that it’s a company's human infrastructure that really determines whether it lives or dies, and knowing who trusts whom is as important as knowing who reports to whom. In this view, organizations have a sort of double-helix system, with hierarchy and networks constantly influencing each other, ideally continuing to co-evolve and therefore becoming more effective. But her Quantum Theory of Trust goes beyond theory: understanding the trust network concretely can help suggest useful changes that elevate an organization's performance. An example of a general way to improve the level of trust: simply increase the speed with which people respond to communication. (2995 reads)