Trust Across America-Trust Around the World™

This morning, Seth Godin’s daily blog  “Beware the Zeitgeister” caught my attention and got me thinking.

From my bird’s eye perch, it appears that in certain circles “trust” has become quite the fashion statement in 2014. With increasing frequency, I read about the importance of trust from outside experts in leadership, teamwork, culture, innovation, engagement and many other disciplines.  But there is a very large (and perhaps the most important) stakeholder group missing from the conversation.

Can you name it? It’s senior leadership.

Last week I did an exhaustive search in an attempt to find examples of corporate leaders proactively talking about trust.

This is what I was able to find:

Lloyd’s CEO to Discuss Leadership and Rebuilding Trust

Dennis Lally of PWC on Rebuilding Trust from Value to Values

Marillyn Hewson, CEO Lockheed Martin on The First Thing a New Leader Should Do to Build Trust

and finally, IBM’s CEO Visits China for Trust Building Talks

Returning to Seth’s blog, while there are lots of examples of senior leaders “Zeitgeisting” trust after their company’s latest crisis, why do they hesitate to proactively embrace it as a way to do business?

While many of the right people are beginning to focus on the importance of trust in all aspects of business, we’ve yet to get “buy in” from those who could benefit the most.

What will it take?

Do you have more examples of senior leadership talking about trust? Please send them along.

Email: barbara@trustacrossamerica.com

Barbara Brooks Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World whose mission is to help organizations build trust. She is also the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series. In 2012 Barbara was named “One of 25 Women Changing the World” by Good Business International.

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