Leadership Lounge: 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: 

• How trust is evolving in today's fast-paced business environment 
• The specific behaviors that distinguish highly trusted executives 
• Practical strategies for building and rebuilding trust within teams 
• 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:

1. Trust is built on consistency. You need to demonstrate that you can follow through on your promises and commitments, no matter how small. 
2. Trust isn’t something that’s nice-to-have in an organization. It needs to be intentionally built at a foundational level. 
3. 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. 
4. Trusted leaders give credit, own mistakes (even if minimal), and maintain confidentiality.  

In this episode, we will cover: 

• The four fundamental components that make up trust in the leadership context 
• Why trust should be a foundational priority rather than an afterthought 
• Why trust is critical for accelerating decision-making and enabling productive conflict 
• The ‘1% rule’ for initiating trust repair when relationships have fractured 
• The connection between trust and concrete business outcomes 
• How differing trust languages can create unintended barriers within teams 
• Why timing is critical in addressing trust breaches before they become permanent 

A closer look at the research from this episode: 

Edelman Trust Barometer  

How CEOs Can Build and Maintain a High-Performing C-suite | Russell Reynolds Associates 

The New CEO | Russell Reynolds Associates