The Crisis of Institutional Trust
In the modern business landscape, trust is no longer a default benefit of the doubt but a battle to be won. Data from the Edelman Trust Barometer indicates that nearly 70% of people believe business leaders intentionally mislead the public. As a result, credibility and trust have become more valuable than traditional marketing.
The Misconception of Visibility
Many leaders hesitate to engage publicly, fearing that visibility will be perceived as vanity or self-promotion. However, the article argues that in an age of skepticism, silence is interpreted as indifference. To rebuild trust, leaders must shift their mindset to view visibility not as an ego trip, but as an act of accountability and courage.
Shift 1: Stand Beside Your Business
The provided text outlines the first of five necessary shifts: Step out from behind your business and stand beside it.
- Human Connection: Audiences no longer implicitly trust faceless corporations; they look for the humans behind the logo. Trust in a business is now directly tied to its individual leaders.
- Accountability: Attaching your name to your company’s mission signals to employees and customers that you believe in the work enough to represent it personally.
- Actionable Strategy: Leaders should start small, such as writing one LinkedIn post a week. These communications should connect personal values to the company’s work, sharing lessons learned, tough decisions, or mistakes. The goal is to clarify purpose rather than curate perfection.
Mentoring question
Are you currently using ‘humility’ as an excuse to hide behind your brand, and how might your stakeholders’ trust increase if you began personally representing your company’s mission and values?