Trust arrives on foot – and leaves on horseback

Trust is a serious issue for the CEO and board agenda. It means delivering on promises and walking the talk. Concrete decisions and processes are the substance that style can never replace. Without that follow through, trust quietly dissolves.  

Geopolitics and AI-fueled misinformation are a timely wake‑up call: we are fast rediscovering the value of verifiable evidence. To find it, organizations routinely run internal and external trust surveys. But does the data deliver signals, or noise? A 30-minute PowerPoint doesn’t help overloaded boards to differentiate between the two. It is easy to wave through a process to ‘restore trust’, without understanding why it has declined. Conversely, if 84% of your employees say that they trust the CEO, to what indicators are they referring? Too many surveys lack sufficient intention or forethought. The questions are imprecise. Too few lead to a deep dive into the dataset. Fewer still lead to the question: “based on these insights, what will we do differently?”  

Indeed, trust isn’t just based in what results the organization achieved, but how. The ‘how’ is expressed by culture - ‘the way we do things around here.’ One vital sign of a trust building culture is safety in speaking out. Yet many organizations still fail to provide that secure space. Across industries – finance, manufacturing, investment funds – whistleblowers continue to face exclusion, threats of demotion or salary reduction, legal pressure, termination, or other career-limiting actions. Suppressing – even punishing – frontline input not only leads to missing information and opportunities, but it also exposes firms to financial and reputational harm.  

Trust and healthy skepticism 

Fostering a safe, trusting environment demands a special kind of leadership. Empathic, humble, interactive. Consistent and clear. Open about what is known and not known. About what can and cannot be communicated. About what needs investigation, and by when action is planned. These qualities are the cornerstones of authenticity and reliability, healthy information flows – and trust. They are also difficult to maintain under pressure and need to be monitored. 

Trust should apply to the global perspective - the big picture, mission, and strategy. A trust building CEO has a clear strategy and keen ears: “I have a plan, but I’m listening.” “I’ve got this under control, but if you can give me evidence that shows we’re on the wrong path, we can adjust.” Far from being threatened, top leaders benefit from open channels – it’s lonely in the corner office.  

Today, audiences are skeptical and conditioned to challenge. The era of unquestioning trust in top leaders is over. Ethical behavior is different. It may be unrealistic to expect a CEO to score 90% for overall trustworthiness. But there can be zero tolerance for misdemeanors.  

In a VUCA world, it’s easy for an organization to part company with its declarations. Stakeholders – especially younger ones - are particularly sensitive to saying/doing gaps, particularly given the return of charismatic leaders to the political arena. Such a powerful leader may appear authentic and trustworthy. But, confident in their invincibility, they can also be erratic. Over time, their unreliability alienates even the most loyal followers. Trust can never be taken for granted.  

Beyond the noise, numbers and slogans, regular cultural checks are vital. What if there are no alarm bells? Silence does not equal serenity: it can signal hidden issues, quiet quitting.  

Be present 

If proximity is essential to build trust, then ‘walking the floor’ is as important as it ever was. Of course, the bigger the organizational footprint, the harder it is for a CEO to keep pace. It is nonetheless important to identify formats that create opportunities to connect. Digital platforms can establish some proximity - if they project a real personality and listening ear, rather than a synthetic image. It is vital to extend those platforms to a management team that embodies the core trust building values. In this way, trust is institutionalized, radiating outward from the CEO to the C‑suite and beyond, underpinned by the supervisory board.  

Trust is built through clarity, consistency, and the courage to listen. It grows when leaders stay present, communicate honestly, and create cultures where people can speak up without fear. In a noisy world, trust thrives on evidence, not slogans; on behavior, not branding. When CEOs and boards treat trust as a strategic discipline rather than a sentiment, they strengthen resilience, credibility, and the integrity of the entire organization.  

Trustworthy communication shouldn’t be overly complicated. It’s simple - and people are calling for it. 

*2025 Edelman Trust Barometer