Why Trust Requires More Than Theory

The Hidden Foundation of High-Performance Teams I recently walked into a leadership team meeting filled with brilliant, accomplished executives. The strategy was sound. Resources were adequate. Yet execution was consistently stalling. The invisible barrier? A fundamental lack of trust. After two decades coaching leadership teams, I've found that strategic execution doesn't fail because of capability gaps or resource constraints nearly as often as it fails because of broken trust. Trust isn't just a cultural nicety—it's the foundation that makes true collaboration possible. Without it, your team will: • Withhold critical information and concerns • Engage in political maneuvering rather than direct problem-solving • Prioritize departmental wins over organizational success • Avoid the difficult conversations necessary for breakthrough thinking One manufacturing company I worked with transformed their performance by directly addressing their trust deficit before attempting any strategic initiatives. The CEO started by clearly articulating the organization's purpose and top 3 priorities, creating a neutral "common cause" around which the team could align. With this clarity of purpose and priorities, previously distrustful team members found common ground. They began to see how their individual objectives connected to the larger vision, reducing territorial behavior and enabling true collaboration. The sequence matters: Trust → Clarity → Alignment → Execution Even the most sophisticated strategic plan cannot overcome a foundation of mistrust. Start by building the psychological safety needed for honest dialogue, then clarify the priorities that will unite your team around shared purpose. What have you found most effective in building trust within your leadership team? Looking to transform your team's performance? DM me or follow Bruce Eckfeldt for frameworks that help leaders build the trust and clarity needed for exceptional execution.

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁. And you can’t have trust without safety. In a recent leadership workshop, one participant said something that stuck with me: “People are too afraid to speak. They’re not sure if what they say is safe or correct.” That one sentence explained everything. Because most collaboration issues aren’t really about teamwork. They’re about 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆. Not physical safety.  But emotional safety. The kind that says: • “It’s okay to share my honest opinion.”    • “I won’t be humiliated if I’m wrong.”    • “My contribution will be valued — even if it’s not perfect.”    Without that, people go quiet. They nod politely. They route communication through middlemen. They avoid meetings. They stop trying. And it’s not because they don’t care. It’s because they don’t feel safe enough to risk caring 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥. So when leaders tell me, “My team won’t collaborate,” I often ask: “𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝘆?” Because trust doesn’t grow in high-pressure environments where mistakes are punished and honest feedback is met with defensiveness. 𝗜𝘁 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻. 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱. Even when their view is different. Even when they’re still learning. Even when it’s messy. If collaboration is what you want — safety is where you start.

Most policies don’t protect people, they protect the system from trusting them. One person messes up and a new policy is born. Not to fix the root cause, but to make sure it never happens again. Soon, you’re not managing performance. You’re managing fear. Buurtzorg Nederland, the Dutch healthcare rebel, did the opposite. They removed middle managers, job descriptions, and HR manuals. Self-managed teams made the decisions, and trust made it work. That challenged me. So when we worked with a construction client in Doha, we asked: What if the policies were the problem? The team was buried in approvals and process. I had my doubts. One supervisor asked, “If we remove the rules, what if someone takes advantage?” Another said, “This won’t work here. We’re not Buurtzorg Nederland.” We didn’t push. We listened. Then we rewired: → Brain-based safety cues → Co-created Trust Charters → Weekly feedback spaces Some leaned in. Others waited unsure if this was just another HR fad. One team went too informal and missed key handovers. We course-corrected. That’s when we saw the truth: Trust isn’t a tool. It’s a muscle. Built conversation by conversation. By week six, a quiet foreman — the one no one expected suggested a workflow change. It was adopted across divisions. No one gave him permission. No one needed to. Because trust made him feel he could. It’s still imperfect. But today, there are fewer policies and more ownership. That feels like a culture shifting. What’s one policy your team follows that no one truly believes in? Let’s explore what trust could do instead. #neurogetics #renergetics

Memoirs of a Gully Boy Episode 36: #Trust – The Foundation of Impactful Leadership Trust is the cornerstone of every successful relationship, whether it’s with your team, clients, or stakeholders. It’s the invisible currency that fosters collaboration, inspires loyalty, and drives meaningful results. Earning Trust in the Early Days In one of my first leadership roles, I was tasked with managing a team of seasoned professionals who were skeptical about my approach. I knew that earning their trust wouldn’t happen overnight. Instead of asserting authority, I spent the initial weeks observing, listening, and understanding their challenges. When I finally proposed changes, they were based on what I had learned from the team. The response was overwhelmingly positive because they felt heard and respected. Trust wasn’t built with grand gestures but through small, consistent actions that demonstrated empathy and accountability. Lesson 1: Trust is earned through listening and delivering on promises, not by demanding it. Building Client Trust in a Crisis A project for a major client once faced an unexpected technical failure just days before launch. The client was understandably frustrated, and tensions ran high. Instead of deflecting blame or downplaying the issue, I took full ownership, provided a transparent timeline for resolution, and kept them updated at every step. This approach turned a potentially damaging situation into an opportunity to strengthen the relationship. The client appreciated the honesty and accountability, and our partnership grew stronger as a result. Lesson 2: Trust thrives on transparency, especially in challenging times. Empowering Teams Through Trust Trust isn’t just about earning it for yourself—it’s about extending it to others. During a high-pressure system migration project, I delegated critical tasks to team members who were relatively new. While some questioned the decision, I trusted their capabilities and provided the necessary support. Their performance exceeded expectations, and the project was a resounding success. That experience reinforced that trust empowers individuals to rise to challenges and reach their potential. Lesson 3: Trust isn’t a risk; it’s an investment in people’s growth and confidence. Sustaining Trust Through Integrity Trust, once broken, is hard to rebuild. Over the years, I’ve learned that the simplest way to sustain trust is to lead with integrity. Whether it’s meeting deadlines, delivering quality, or admitting mistakes, consistency in actions speaks louder than words. In one instance, a client project faced delays due to unforeseen challenges. Rather than overpromising and underdelivering, I laid out a realistic plan and ensured that every milestone was met thereafter. That consistency solidified trust, even in difficult circumstances. Lesson 4: Trust is maintained through unwavering integrity and consistent follow-through. To be continued...

I recently asked a leadership team to define the word trust. Not surprisingly, each member of the team had a different definition. While many were close in their definitions, there was enough variability that it was possible for two people to have a conversation about trust and have two separate conversations. Successful teams depend on trust, but people commonly misunderstand its nature. We tend to focus on whether someone is trustworthy, overlooking a more profound truth: TRUST BEGINS WITH THE PERSON CHOOSING TO TRUST, not just the one earning it. The analysis of 2,000 data points shows that trust develops through three essential elements: the TRUSTOR (the one giving it) and the TRUSTEE (the one receiving it), along with their COMMON ENVIRONMENTAL factors. Research shows that leadership models that focus on team member traits fail to recognize how mindset and environmental factors (culture) influence team dynamics equally. My new book, BEYOND THE LEADER, positions trust as a core element within the SAFETY DISCIPLINE, which reframes how we understand trust. Trust doesn’t stand alone—it’s an outcome. People develop trust when they experience emotional and psychological safety, believe their voices count, and when smart failure leads to learning experiences instead of punishment. Trust needs safety to develop into an established foundation. Four essential behaviors serve as the foundation for developing and sustaining trust in an organization: COMPETENCE – demonstrating the skills and reliability to deliver. CHARACTER – aligning actions with values and integrity. CONSISTENCY – being reliable in behavior, especially under pressure. COMPASSION – showing care and empathy for others as people, not just roles. Organizations develop their strongest trust when members feel protected to express themselves and engage in the messy middle where interpersonal risk-taking happens. Safety is a fundamental aspect that leaders must actively model for team members. Trust responsibility extends beyond the leader's role to every team member. Team members at all levels contribute to trust development through how they Show Up, Speak Up, and Sync Up. The development of trust demands safety alongside belief and requires constant intentional action from everyone involved. #trust #leadership #followership The Encompass Group E3 Leadership Academy #BeyondTheLeader #newbook #author

After 22 years in marketing, I finally figured out what actually drives growth. It's not tactics. It's not channels. It's TRUST. But here's what nobody tells you: Trust isn't built in a moment. It's built in a spiral. Every interaction follows the same cycle: → Context (their world) → Intent (their real goal)  → Relevance (what matters now) → Trust (a deposit earned) Here's what I've learned: ➤ INTENT born from CONTEXT A CMO doesn't want "better SEO." They're dreading the board meeting where they explain why CAC is up 40% and competitors are crushing them in AI searches. That's the real intent. ➤ RELEVANCE that matches INTENT As the head of outreach at Instantly.ai put it last week: "After seeing millions of emails... personalization is overrated. What drives replies is RELEVANCE." Exactly. ➤ TRUST that compounds When you nail intent + relevance, you don't just solve a problem. You earn a deposit of trust. "These people understand my world." That trust becomes the foundation for the next interaction. An upward spiral. A TRUST SPIRAL. In the last 30 days using this framework: - Diagnosed stakeholder mismatches - Uncovered trust gaps - Mapped complex stakeholder "constellations" - More "aha moments" than the previous 12 months This isn't theory. It's a diagnostic framework you can use. Two questions: 1. Is your marketing underperforming? 2. Do you know exactly why? If you answered yes then no, stay tuned. Part 3 tomorrow: What happens when trust spirals upward Part 4 next week: The diagnostic tools to find your answer

If you have to say "trust me," you've already lost. Here's how we built a company on the opposite principle. The moment those words come out, you know you're about to be sold something—probably something you don't want. In business, trust needs to be earned. For years, I've observed a fundamental challenge in our industry: Information asymmetry. When people don't have access to the same information, they can't make good decisions. This creates a world where inefficiencies multiply, costs remain stubbornly high, and customers end up paying more than they should. The real struggle isn't between different roles in the mortgage ecosystem—it's our collective battle against inefficiency, unnecessary costs, and the complexity that keeps rates higher than they need to be. When we started rethinking our approach, we made a fundamental shift in how we operate: Rather than telling people to trust us, we gave them a reason to. We built the Power Producer model based on one simple principle: Share everything. • Loan officers see raw pricing data • Everyone has complete visibility into their expenses • Each LO operates with full knowledge of what drives their costs Once our team understood exactly where their money was going—expenses dropped across the company. We've seen costs decrease by 50 basis points simply through visibility and the resulting increase in production. Without being told what to do, people start cutting unnecessary expenses, optimizing processes, and making better decisions. Why? Because when you trust people with information, they act like owners. They don't need micromanagement. They just need information.

If coaching worked the way most people think, they wouldn’t need it. A CEO I worked with was exhausted. “My team keeps coming to me with problems they should be solving themselves,” he said. “I just need a better way to delegate.” I nodded. “What have you tried so far?” He rattled off everything—clear expectations, structured handoffs, even a ‘decision-making framework.’ But every time he let go, something slipped. And so, piece by piece, he took things back. “Honestly?” he admitted. “I just don’t trust them to get it right.” That’s where most leaders land—not because they want to micromanage, but because at some point, they got burned. A missed detail, a fumbled project, a moment when they had to step in and fix things. And the story forms: If I don’t stay involved, things will break. So they hold on. They rationalize it. “I’d love to trust them, but they haven’t earned it.” But here’s the hard part: Trust isn’t the result of everything going smoothly. It’s the condition that allows things to go well in the first place. So I asked him: “What if the real problem isn’t your team—what if it’s the way you see trust?” That landed. Because trust isn’t something you wait for. It’s something you build. And the shift he needed wasn’t another framework for delegation. It was learning how to trust in a way that didn’t feel reckless. That’s what coaching actually does. It doesn’t just hand you a better system. It shifts the way you see—so you stop running into the same problems over and over again. Because if coaching worked the way most people think—giving you the right answers—you wouldn’t need it. The best coaching doesn’t change what you do. It changes how you see. -- Seeing different is what The Expansion Effect (www.expansioneffect.com) is all about: that one powerful moment when something clicks. You get a new awareness that makes hard things easy and new things possible.

Trust isn’t a value you write on a wall—it’s a practice. A discipline. Something we all crave to thrive. Daniel Goleman’s latest piece for Korn Ferry nails it: trust is fluid, emotional, and contextual. It’s built (or broken) through our everyday behaviors—especially when things are moving fast or feel uncertain. https://lnkd.in/grYJY5fM As a CEO, I’ve learned that “trust” can’t be demanded. It’s not a checkbox. It’s given—and it starts with presence, consistency, and the willingness to slow down. A few practices that have helped me build (and rebuild) trust over two decades of leading people: ✅ We use Moementum, Inc.s “Monthly Meetup” doc to open space for real conversations—about energy, meaning, and life, not just KPIs. ✅ We start our weekly 1:1s with “personal best / business best.” It’s a small shift that opens big doors. ✅ I learned from Bruce Tulgan early on that weekly 1:1s aren’t optional. They’re where alignment lives—or where it dies. I’m relentless about keeping them. I expect my team to show up prepared: top priorities, roadblocks, and where they need support. And here's the truth: I’ve been in team environments where trust was talked about, but not felt. Where it was risky to be real. And the result? Slower decisions, quieter meetings, and lots of second-guessing. In a world of hybrid schedules, shifting strategies, and AI transformation, what your team really wants is safety. Not perfection. Not certainty. But the belief that they are seen, heard, and supported. #Leadership #Trust #EmotionalIntelligence #1on1s #CultureBuilding #FutureOfWork #CaringBridge #KornFerry #BruceTulgan #MoeCarrick #WorkplaceCulture #monthlymeetups