TRUST but Verify

The image above is real. I can verify that a rain cloud and a rainbow appeared together above my house. But not everything can be trusted, I loved this piece written by Jon Mertz . I place it here with his permission.

Welcome to 2024! We are almost 1/12 done with the new year, yet there is so much ahead to write, resolve, learn, and grow. As we continue our work, I hope you find joy in your work and find solutions to enhance your career, community, and life. We start this year with a focus on trust.?

1 Big Thing: Can trust be measured by a PR firm?

Edelman has been measuring trust since 2000. It isn't unusual for businesses to conduct research and report on their findings. Measuring trust carries a higher standard of credibility because of the topic itself. Is Edelman trustworthy to measure trust? Their current?trust barometer ?finds "two-thirds of people are inclined to distrust organizations," so the question carries added credibility.?

· Transparency may be lacking?in the funding and support of countries and companies who act contrary to their trust sentiments.?For example , several authoritarian governments have been clients of Edelman. Meanwhile, "Polling experts have found that public opinion surveys tend to overstate the favorability of authoritarian regimes because many respondents fear government reprisal. That hasn't stopped these same governments from exploiting Edelman's findings to burnish their reputations and legitimize their holds on power."?

It raises a question of trust when authoritarian governments rate high in trust while Edelman provides services to those same regimes. As an NYU business school professor, Alison Taylor emphasized, "At minimum, the firm should be disclosing these financial relationships as part of the study. But they're not doing that."

· Conflicts of interest appear. Whether it is Edelman's relationship with the?Koch network ?or?others from ?"ExxonMobil to the Saudi government and members of the Sackler family, the former owners of the opioid manufacturer Purdue Pharma," trust in Edelman's work comes into question.

Key point. When developing a trust barometer, it is vital to be transparent on funding, conflicts of interest, and how the data is used within the firm. Researching and reporting a trust barometer may be better suited to an academic institution with the same ethical considerations.

Trust is in a precarious position in many democracies today, and we must step up to protect and enhance it. Doing so will take more than a PR firm.

2. Enabling trust in your leadership practices.

For over a decade, I have known Randy Conley, vice president and trust practice leader for?Blanchard ?(a globally recognized leadership training and consulting firm). Most of this time was through similar social media leadership channels and a few phone calls through the years. Randy and Ken Blanchard co-authored a book entitled " Simple Truths of Leadership," and they now have a?companion workbook , which outlines a 52-week game plan for becoming a trusted servant leader.

· Enabling trust must be a daily leadership practice. Their book is an excellent daily reminder of practices to center and re-center trust. I am letting you know about this because of our friendship, and there is no financial or otherwise benefit to me for recommending their book and workbook.

Working together openly. In my?March 2016 interview with Ken Blanchard , he made the following point, "I think one of the things that we're finding is that people love a manager who will say, 'I don't know all the answers, and I don't think I ever will. But one plus one is greater than two, and I want you to know that I hope to learn from you as well as you learn from me. We're in this together.' That's what's really important."

· Vital action. We must lead with humble confidence and instill the same practice in others. Trust embraces others, knowing how diversity is more than an acronym. Trustful leadership translates into being unafraid to admit mistakes but also requires a diligent effort to learn from those different from us.?

Let's work to reignite trust in our work and communities.

3. Final word.?

?Trust is not a passive activity. We must be on our guard and do our utmost to activate trusted relationships in our work, life, and communities. While technology can be an incredible way to advance our society, it also can degrade trust. During the recent New Hampshire primary, an?AI-generated voice ?of President Joe Biden was distributed telling people not to vote. We need to be diligent.

Trust requires us to ask questions and seek good sources of information. It is why journalism is so vital in a healthy democracy, and?The Guardiandemonstrated this with their reporting on Edelman. As President Ronald Reagan used to say, trust but verify.?

Keep leading well and taking care of yourself and those around you.