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Leadership Lounge | Ep. 19 - Beyond Handshakes: How to Build Trust and Transform Executive Team Performance
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Leadership Lounge | Ep. 19
Beyond Handshakes: How to Build Trust and Transform Executive Team Performance
Today's senior executives operate in an environment where trust has never been more critical, or more fragile. According to the latest Edelman Trust Barometer, trust in business leaders is at an all-time low, with people's fear that business leaders are dishonest increasing by 12% in the last year.
So, as a leader, how can you cultivate trust within your team and organization?
In this episode of Leadership Lounge, we talk to three of our trusted advisors—Henryk Krajewski, Emmy Melville, and Ilana Abramowicz—who share their perspectives on:
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How trust is evolving in today's fast-paced business environment
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The specific behaviors that distinguish highly trusted executives
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Practical strategies for building and rebuilding trust within teams
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How to accurately assess trust levels rather than relying on gut feeling
Don’t take somebody else’s credit. If you make a mistake, you own it. You don’t bury somebody else.”
Ilana Abramowicz
Leadership Advisor, Russell Reynolds Associates
Four things you’ll learn from this episode
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Trust is built on consistency. You need to demonstrate that you can follow through on your promises and commitments, no matter how small.
- Trust isn’t something that’s nice-to-have in an organization. It needs to be intentionally built at a foundational level.
- Transparent communication is vital for trust—sharing relevant information openly, explaining decisions clearly, and being forthright about challenges creates a culture where trust can flourish.
- Trusted leaders give credit, own mistakes (even if minimal), and maintain confidentiality.
In this episode, we will cover:
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(1.43) The four fundamental components that make up trust in the leadership context
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(3.10) Why trust should be a foundational priority rather than an afterthought
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(7.06) The practical first steps new CEOs can take to build trust
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(13.32) The ‘1% rule’ for initiating trust repair when relationships have fractured
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(14.08) Why timing is critical in addressing trust breaches before they become permanent
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(14.19) The connection between trust and concrete business outcomes
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(14.56) How differing trust languages can create unintended barriers within teams
A closer look at the research from this episode: