The Role Of Trust

Clinicians don’t trust your HealthTech product. And they’re right not to. You think you’re selling innovation. But they’re seeing liability. When a doctor uses your product, they’re not just clicking a button. They’re staking their license, reputation, and someone’s life on a tool they didn’t build… Made by someone who’s never stepped inside an operating theatre. This is the Clinical Trust Chasm. Most HealthTech companies never cross it. They win pilots, not trust. Investors, not integration. Press, not protocols. Trust in medicine isn’t earned with features. It’s earned with consequences. Ask any surgeon why they use a specific tool. It’s not because it’s cutting-edge. It’s because it’s predictable under pressure. They’ve seen it fail, and seen what happens next. They know it's blind spots. They know when not to use it. You can’t shortcut that with UI polish and a few endorsements. If you want your HealthTech product to be adopted, not just trialled: You have to reverse the trust equation. Here’s how I’ve seen it work: - Put the clinician in control - Stop “automating decisions”. Start augmenting judgement. - Build fail-safes, override paths, audit trails. Trust starts when you acknowledge what you don’t know. Design for blame Assume someone will get hurt using your product. Will they say: “We knew this tool. We trusted it. We stood by it.” Or: “They promised it would work.” Over-communicate uncertainty No one’s ever said, “That medical device was too transparent.” Show the confidence intervals. Flag the edge cases. Clinicians are trained to work with ambiguity, just not surprise. Many HealthTech founders think clinicians are “resistant to change”. IMO they’re not. They’re allergic to risk they didn’t consent to. They don’t need to understand your model. They need to understand how it breaks, and what happens when it does. Build for that moment. That’s where real adoption begins.

People don’t trust your words. They trust your patterns. You can promise change. You can talk about doing good. But if your past actions show the opposite, people will remember that first. That’s the reality in life. And it’s the same in design. A product doesn’t earn trust with a shiny new update. It earns trust through consistent experiences over time. Think about it: If an app keeps crashing, will one bug fix rebuild confidence? If a brand keeps overpromising, will one new feature restore loyalty? No. Trust isn’t built overnight. It’s built in patterns, not promises. This is a principle I emphasize when I speak with students and professionals: Consistency is the real credibility. Because in careers, in design, in leadership — people don’t remember what you said. They remember what you repeatedly did.

Investing in Others v. Taking Advantage: Nurturing Trust in Human Connections Recently, some colleagues asked me to define things that often upset me in my daily professional life. I provided some themes, but felt the question deserved some added effort. A recent plane ride gave me the opportunity to reflect deeper and research if my feelings were unique - I doubted they would be. Researching how I felt did provide a better perspective I found worthy of sharing with a wider audience. In the intricate web of human interactions, two distinct personas appear: the investor and the taker. Everyone’s approach to social interactions profoundly affects the fabric of society. Drawing insights from Stephen Covey’s concept of Emotional Bank Deposits, there is a significant delta between those who invest in others and those who exploit others. Covey’s metaphor elucidates the dynamics of trust and reciprocity in relationships. According to Covey, every interaction contributes either to building trust (making deposits) or eroding it (making withdrawals). Individuals who invest in others prioritize building trust and nurturing relationships. They engage in acts of kindness, empathy and support - enriching the emotional bonds with others. These investors understand that fostering genuine connections yields invaluable returns - facilitating mutual growth and fulfillment. In contrast, the takers navigate social landscapes with a transactional mindset, looking to capitalize on others’ resources and vulnerabilities for personal gain. They prioritize their desires above others, often resorting to manipulation and exploitation. The consequences of being a taker reverberate far beyond individual interactions, permeating social structures. At a societal level, rampant exploitation breeds cynicism, eroding the foundation of trust. The prevalence of takers engenders a culture of self-interest, fostering a toxic cycle of opportunism and disillusionment. The dichotomy between investing in others and taking advantage encapsulates the fundamental choice we face in relationships. As leaders, it is imperative to champion investing in others, cultivating environments where trust flourishes, and mutual respect abounds. A culture of empathy, collaboration, and reciprocity can transcend self-interest and lead to a more compassionate world. As the holiday celebration season begins, some colleagues encouraged me to share these thoughts. I encourage each reader to review the intentions of every influence within your ecosystem. If they are promoting a better community, I encourage finding ways to support. If the message defines paths not requiring investment or effort, I encourage you to avoid the temptation - nothing, not even respect is free. Finally, should you find yourself only around takers, please reevaluate your selection process. Everyone deserves reciprocity - demand it! #InvestinOthers #BuildTrust #ThoughtLeadership

The issue of exploiting good people is a pervasive and troubling one. In many environments, whether professional or personal, individuals who demonstrate kindness, diligence, and integrity are often taken advantage of. This exploitation stems from a misguided belief that their goodwill is endless and their desire to help can be leveraged without consequence. Such behavior can lead to burnout, resentment, and a loss of trust. Good people, motivated by a sense of responsibility and empathy, often find it challenging to set boundaries. They might fear disappointing others or worry about being perceived as uncooperative. However, continually asking more from these individuals without recognizing their contributions or providing support creates an unsustainable dynamic. Over time, the imbalance can erode their morale and productivity. It's crucial to foster environments where good people are appreciated, not exploited. This involves recognizing their efforts, ensuring they are not overburdened, and creating a culture of mutual respect and support. By valuing their well-being and encouraging a balanced approach to work and relationships, we can prevent the negative consequences of exploitation and instead promote a healthy, thriving community where kindness and diligence are truly appreciated and reciprocated.

I recently got the chance to talk to Talha F Basit, Co-Creator of Apple’s iMovie (worked directly with Steve Jobs), CTO of divvyDOSE (acquired for $500M), and now Founder of Spiraldot Health. He taught me about trust. I asked him how he thinks about designing great products. He said: “Trust is hard to earn and easy to lose. Your product should feel like support.” Most founders obsess over features. But the best ones design around how a user FEELS. 👉 Does your onboarding overwhelm or reassure? 👉 Does your copy make people feel confused or capable? 👉 Does your brand feel human, or transactional? TLDR: tech is replaceable but how you make people feel isn’t. Still thinking about this…

Today is Day 1 of my 5-part series: Selling to the Buyer Brain. And we’re kicking off with the one thing that every high-stakes sales conversation depends on… Creating safety and trust. Buyers don’t say “yes” to your product first.   They say yes to you. Before logic. Before features. Before your brilliant ROI deck.   The brain asks: “Are you safe?” “Can I trust you?” “Are you here for me, or just the sale?”   If the answer is no?   The brain shuts down. No openness. No logic. No deal.   But if the answer is yes?   You’ve cleared the only path that matters: trust.   And here’s where most sellers get it wrong 👇 They start with benefits. Slides. Their story.   But buyers don’t buy from experts.   They buy from humans who make them feel safe being real.   Want to lead the room without pushing?   Start with the Trust Triad:   1️⃣ Consistency – Do what you say. Say what you’ll do. Micro-actions build belief. 2️⃣ Empathy – Mirror their pace. Match their energy. Let them feel seen. 3️⃣ Transparency – Share the hard truths. Even if it costs you the deal.   Because the first thing you’re ever selling… Is safety. Not the product. Not the promise. Trust isn’t soft. It’s the first close. Interested in the rest of the series? Subscribe to my newsletter and get each lesson straight to your inbox this week: https://lnkd.in/dgdPAd3h –– Been in a conversation where you felt trust break? Drop a comment or DM me. Let’s unpack it. #SalesPsychology #B2BSales #TrustBasedSelling

"I thought I was crushing it." That's what Tyler told me last month. VP title. Great reviews. Strong team results. But he kept getting blindsided. Big decisions made without him. His ideas ignored until someone else said them. Meetings about his department... without him. The brutal truth? Being good at your job doesn't guarantee you won't be sidelined. I've seen brilliant people become invisible because they assumed competence was enough. They waited to be noticed. They let their work do the talking. But here's what I've learned: You can't just work in isolation and expect to build trust. To build trust, you have to involve them. Tyler started doing three things differently: He began every project by asking stakeholders what success looked like to them. He asked how his plans could be stronger and actually took action on their feedback. And he started asking "Your thoughts?" after sharing his ideas. Now, more people have been asking for his input. And they’re actually responding to his emails with substance. Because being unignorable isn't about talent. It's about being competent AND trusted. That's where influence lives.

🧱 Why Fiscal Sponsors, Intermediaries, and Backbone Organizations Are No Longer Optional in 2025 The nonprofit and civic sectors are entering a period of heightened volatility. ➡️ Many of the most impactful community-led efforts do not have the administrative infrastructure required to access or manage funding—nor should they be expected to. These are organizations focused on outcomes, not overhead. They are solving for housing, mental health, food access, workforce barriers—often in the very neighborhoods policy neglects. What they lack is not credibility. It’s backend. That’s why fiscal sponsors, intermediaries, and backbone organizations are more important than ever. Not as technicalities, but as strategic public infrastructure. 🔍 Let’s clarify the roles: 1️⃣ Fiscal Sponsors These entities allow unincorporated or early-stage projects to receive and manage grant funding under a legal 501(c)(3) umbrella. They hold and disburse funds, ensure regulatory compliance, and often provide accounting, insurance, and HR support. Some serve as passive conduits. The best act as strategic partners—building the administrative capacity needed to stabilize and grow mission-aligned work. 2️⃣ Intermediaries These organizations sit between funders and community-based actors. They regrant federal, state, or philanthropic dollars, provide technical assistance, and act as translators of compliance, evaluation, and financial systems. In today’s environment, they are essential to ensuring that public funds do not get bottlenecked by institutional barriers or ideological filters. A good intermediary removes friction without diluting mission. 3️⃣ Backbone Organizations Coined in the context of collective impact, backbone organizations support long-term, cross-sector collaboration. They coordinate shared strategy, align metrics, convene stakeholders, and steward the infrastructure for systems-level change. In regions with fragmented or under-resourced ecosystems, a trusted backbone can hold the policy, fundraising, and data strategy together—so mission-driven organizations don’t have to. 🛠 Why this matters now As compliance costs rise and administrative functions become politicized, we cannot expect every organization to become a legal, fiscal, and evaluation expert. 🌐 What needs to happen Funders must support infrastructure, not just programs. That means investing in fiscal intermediaries, shared services, and ecosystem-level capacity—not just direct service delivery. Regions should assess their backbone gaps—who is building alignment across sectors, managing data, convening stakeholders? Who isn’t, but should be? Policy leaders must recognize fiscal sponsorship and intermediaries as necessary conduits for equitable funding distribution. Not workarounds—infrastructure. In 2025, we must move from a charity logic to a systems logic.

I have witnessed many forms of financial exploitation, but few as egregious as the case recently decided in the Hong Kong High Court. A retired, elderly woman was systematically defrauded of over HK$71 million across three years by individuals who exploited her isolation and trust. The orchestrator of the scheme posed as a successful financial professional and quickly cultivated a “godmother-goddaughter” relationship, preying on the victim’s loneliness and desire for connection. Through a combination of false investment opportunities, forged documents, and continuous emotional manipulation, the fraudsters extracted payments under the guise of legal fees, taxes, and investment requirements. The fraud escalated over time. Even after the principal perpetrator was imprisoned for related offences, the deception continued via letters and accomplices, maintaining the illusion and pressure on the victim. The scheme only unraveled when the victim’s daughter intervened and alerted authorities. This case demonstrates several critical warning signs for professionals and families: - Sudden secrecy or reluctance to discuss new financial arrangements - Isolation from friends or family - Pressure to act quickly or keep matters confidential - Complex or implausible explanations for financial transactions - Gradual but escalating requests for money It is essential for advisers, fiduciaries, and family members to remain vigilant to these risk factors, especially when working with elderly or vulnerable individuals. Building strong, genuine relationships and fostering open communication are the best defenses against such manipulation. Financial literacy and regular check-ins with trusted professionals can help prevent tragedies of this nature. Ultimately, this case is a stark reminder that financial fraud is often rooted in emotional vulnerability rather than ignorance or greed. As professionals, our duty extends beyond technical advice to safeguarding the well-being and dignity of those we serve.

Importance of Letter of Credit Risk Mitigation in International Trade A Letter of Credit reduces the risk of non-payment because it is a commitment from a reputable bank, guaranteeing payment as long as the terms and conditions of the credit are met. Facilitates Trust Between Buyer and Seller International trade often involves parties that have never met and are located in different countries, making trust a critical issue. A Letter of Credit provides a sense of security, as it adds a third-party intermediary (the bank) to the transaction. Ensures Payment Security For the seller, the most important concern in a trade deal is whether they will receive payment after shipping the goods. An LC assures the seller that as long as they provide the necessary documentation (such as shipping receipts, invoices, and certificates of origin), payment will be made. Reduces Financial Risk and Fraud: Since the bank guarantees payment, an LC reduces the financial risks associated with fraud or disputes in international trade. The bank typically requires the seller to provide proof of compliance with the terms (such as shipping documents), which provides a safeguard against fraudulent activities. Improves Cash Flow and Financing An LC can be used as collateral for financing. For example, the exporter can approach their bank to obtain short-term financing based on the LC, improving their cash flow while waiting for payment. Helps in Structuring Complex International Deals International contracts may involve complex terms, such as partial shipments, special delivery terms, or specific quality standards. A Letter of Credit can be structured to reflect these complex conditions and ensure that both parties comply with the agreed-upon terms before payment is made. Mitigates Country and Currency Risks: A Letter of Credit can also help protect against country risks. For example, if a buyer's country is unstable or has restrictions on foreign currency exchange, the seller can have peace of mind knowing that payment will come from a reliable financial institution in the buyer's country, reducing political and economic risks. Compliance with Legal and Regulatory Requirements Many countries and jurisdictions require the use of Letters of Credit in certain types of trade or financial transactions. In such cases, an LC ensures that both parties are in compliance with regulatory and legal requirements, protecting them from legal or financial complications. Boosts International Trade and Export Growth Letters of Credit play an essential role in facilitating international trade by providing a secure method of payment and reducing the risks of cross-border transactions. Flexible Terms for Buyers and Sellers: Letters of Credit can be customized to meet the specific needs of buyers and sellers. Different types of LCs, such as revocable, irrevocable, confirmed, and unconfirmed, allow for flexibility in meeting the terms of the transaction.