It Starts and Ends with Trust

leadership trust Jun 14, 2025

You and I are living in a leadership crisis. Can you feel it? The headlines point to scandals, breakdowns, and failed leaders. Culture in corporate America is being tested. But the root problem isn’t just mismanagement—it’s a trust gap. One that keeps widening unless we act.

Consider this: only 21% of American workers strongly agree they trust their organization’s leadership. That’s not just a stat—it’s a warning signal. Trust isn’t a luxury. It’s the foundation. And without it, everything else crumbles.

In every corner of leadership, there’s one force that determines the health of teams, the culture of companies, and the momentum of movements: trust. Cory Scheer’s Closing the Trust Gap is one of the most important contributions to the conversation on trust in years. It’s timely, actionable, and filled with sharp insight.

Why Trust Is the Game-Changer

This crisis isn’t limited to boardrooms or company cultures—it’s part of a broader cultural challenge. Public trust in institutions,...

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Careless Trust at Facebook

Just finished listening to Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams. It’s not just a story about Facebook—it’s a lesson on leadership, culture, and the loss of trust.

As leaders, we often talk about innovation, growth, and impact. But the core of any lasting organization is culture—and trust. Culture isn’t the slogans on the wall; it’s the lived experience of the people inside. Careless People is a reminder of what happens when trust fractures, when culture becomes misaligned, and when the pursuit of scale overtakes the discipline of stewardship.

This book (for me) isn’t about bashing anyone. It’s a call to attention. A chance for leaders to ask:

  • Are we listening to our people?
  • Are we building structures that reinforce integrity—or just performance?
  • Are we as intentional about maintaining trust as we are about hitting targets?

Wynn-Williams writes with clarity and conviction—not from the outside looking in, but from the inside looking back. Her perspective is rare and valuable....

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Build Trust, Break Records

brain health teamwork trust Apr 05, 2025

When Alex Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky’s record for most goals, the hockey world erupted.

But behind that milestone wasn’t just one man’s talent—it was a team’s trust. Trainers, coaches, teammates, and staff rallied around Ovechkin, defying skeptics who questioned his comeback after a major injury just months earlier.

When that record-tying shot hit the net, the celebration wasn’t just for Ovechkin—it was for a team that stood by him through every grueling moment. They shared in the pressure. And they shared in the win.

That’s the power of trust.
It fuels resilience. It lifts teams. And it drives greatness.


The Science of Trust: It’s in Your Brain

What made Ovechkin’s team so unshakable?

Trust isn’t just a leadership value—it’s a brain response.

In The Neuroscience of Trust, Paul J. Zak reveals what many leaders miss: when people feel trusted, their brains release oxytocin—a chemical that lowers stress, builds connection, and boosts performance. It’s biology, not buzzwords.

TRUS...

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