69: (Replay) The Hidden Cost of Low Trust: How to Win Back Your Team and Customers I Expert Panel
the Learn-It-All™ podcast
Building Trust in Business Relationships
This chapter explores the critical elements of establishing and maintaining trust between customers and vendors, emphasizing the need for consistent communication and a proactive service mindset. It highlights the role of genuine appreciation, empathy, and intentional conversations in deepening relationships and fostering a supportive organizational culture. Additionally, it discusses the vital importance of assertive communication and courageous conversations in promoting a healthy workplace environment.
What’s your leadership strategy for an era where skepticism is at an all-time high?
Business leaders are navigating unprecedented challenges—employees are dispersed, virtual connections are fragile, and trust is harder to earn than ever before. The question isn’t just how to lead, but how to restore trust in a post-pandemic, hyper-skeptical world.
In this insightful episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast, Mickey Fitch-Collins, PhD, invites leadership experts Larry Levine, Meredith Bell, and Damon Lembi to share their insights on how leaders can build trust, both with their teams and their customers, despite the current climate of doubt.
Levine, Co-CEO of Selling From the Heart, co-host of the Selling From the Heart Podcast, and the two-time bestselling author of Selling in a Post-Trust World and Selling from the Heart, along with Bell, CEO of Grow Strong Leaders, co-author of Connect with Your Team, and host of the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast, and Lembi, CEO of Learnit, host of The Learn-It-All Podcast, and the bestselling author of The Learn-It-All Leader, spoke candidly about the evolving challenges of trust-building in a post-trust world with their host, Mickey Fitch-Collins, PhD, a leadership and professional development expert and top-ranked Learnit facilitator.
You’ll walk away with actionable strategies that go beyond theory—from engaging remote teams to fostering genuine connections in a virtual-first environment. These industry veterans break down the essentials of cultivating trust that lasts, so you can drive growth, improve retention, and lead with integrity in a complex landscape.
Whether you’re a leader, individual contributor, or part of a sales team, this episode is packed with real-world insights to help you lead in a post-trust era. Are you ready to start rebuilding the foundation of every business relationship?
This Episode Covers:
- How to build and maintain trust in a virtual and hybrid work world
- The difference between “servicing” and “serving” your team and clients
- Key behaviors leaders must avoid to protect trust
- Why transparency, consistency, and intentional communication are critical to leadership success
- Practical strategies to foster trust within teams and organizations
Episode Highlights:
(02:00) Introduction to the Trust Crisis – Host Mickey Fitch-Collins introduces the topic of trust in leadership and welcomes the panelists: Larry Levine, Meredith Bell, and Damon Lembi.
(04:00) How Trust Has Changed – Larry Levine discusses how the trust landscape has shifted in recent years and the role of authenticity in building trust in sales and leadership.
(07:46) Building Trust in Virtual Teams – The panel explores how trust can be built and maintained in virtual or hybrid work settings, with Larry emphasizing the importance of intentional communication and consistency.
(011:00) Why Consistency is Key – Meredith Bell shares why trust can erode when leaders constantly shift directions and fail to follow through on promises.
(14:33) How to Be a Trustworthy Leader – The conversation shifts to how leaders can foster trust within their teams, with Damon Lembi highlighting the importance of transparency and empathy.
(19:00) The Impact of Inconsistent Policies – Damon reflects on the damage caused by organizations frequently changing remote work policies, advising leaders to carefully consider decisions before making sudden changes.
(24:30) Practical Steps to Building Trust – The panel discusses simple, actionable strategies leaders can take to build trust, including open communication, setting clear expectations, and being intentional with follow-through.
(35:18) The Power of Vulnerability – Meredith emphasizes the value of vulnerability in leadership and how being open and honest can strengthen relationships with teams and clients.
About Our Host and Guests:
-Mickey Fitch-Collins, PhD is a top-ranked Leadership and Professional Development Facilitator at Learnit, where she designs and delivers virtual and in-person courses for executives, managers, and individual contributors. With expertise in leadership, communication, and productivity, she collaborates across teams to develop and curate impactful learning experiences that drive personal and organizational growth.
- Larry Levine is Co-CEO of Selling From the Heart, the two-time bestselling author of Selling in a Post-Trust World and Selling from the Heart, and co-host of the Selling From the Heart Podcast. He helps sales professionals build trust with their clients by being authentic and focusing on relationships rather than transactions.
- Meredith Bell is CEO of Grow Strong Leaders, co-author of Connect with Your Team, and host of the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast. She helps leaders strengthen their communication skills to foster trust and build stronger relationships.
- Damon Lembi is the CEO of Learnit, host of The Learn-It-All Podcast, and the bestselling author of The Learn-It-All Leader. Damon brings his leadership insights from his prior professional baseball career to help organizations grow by fostering cultures of learning and trust.
Resources Referenced:
- Selling from the Heart: https://www.sellingfromtheheart.net
- Larry Levine’s Book: Selling in a Post-Trust World: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/selling-in-a-post-trust-world-larry-levine/1144733529
- Grow Strong Leaders: https://www.growstrongleaders.com
- Learnit: https://www.learnit.com
- "The Trusted Advisor" by David H. Maister, Charles H. Green, and Robert M. Galford: https://www.amazon.com/Trusted-Advisor-David-H-Maister/dp/0743212347
Podcast Contact Information:
Website: [www.learnit.com](https://www.learnit.com)
Email: [podcast@learnit.com](mailto:podcast@learnit.com)
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