In this episode of Your Preshift, we explore what it means to inspire trust—not build it, earn it, or create it. Inspiring trust is different because it’s rooted in presence and belief, not performance or control. The big idea: when leaders GIVE trust freely, they spark ownership, but when they make people earn it, they create compliance and entitlement. We talk about how giving trust connects to the human spirit, shifts power dynamics, and develops both the team and the leader. Plus, we’ll reflect on how trustworthy we are as leaders—and challenge ourselves to take one small step toward trust this week.

Resources:

The Thin Book of Trust by Charles Feltman

Toseef M, Kiran A, Zhuo S, Jahangir M, Riaz S, Wei Z, Ghauri TA, Ullah I, Ahmad SB. Inspirational Leadership and Innovative Communication in Sustainable Organizations: A Mediating Role of Mutual Trust. Front Psychol. 2022 Jul 28;13:846128. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.846128. PMID: 36003091; PMCID: PMC9394427.

Martino J, Pegg J, Frates EP. The Connection Prescription: Using the Power of Social Interactions and the Deep Desire for Connectedness to Empower Health and Wellness. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2015 Oct 7;11(6):466-475. doi: 10.1177/1559827615608788. PMID: 30202372; PMCID: PMC6125010.

Vagisha, P S J, Iyer V. Mapping inspiration in human resources: A systematic review of themes and approaches. F1000Res. 2023 Jun 16;12:694. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.128853.1. PMID: 37635944; PMCID: PMC10448870.

Legood, A., van der Werff, L., Lee, A., & Den Hartog, D. (2021). A meta-analysis of the role of trust in the leadership-performance relationship. European Journal of Work andOrganizational Psychology, 30(1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2020.1819241