Today, I have the distinct pleasure of introducing a new
#thoughtleadership article which is in a series though 2025. This #article was co-authored with Kruthika A. Bala and is named ‘’The performativity of trust: Rethinking #leadership in the age of managed credibility''
https://lnkd.in/ejyYtsjc
This special article is our precis to an IBEM event next April “The Performance of Trust - How trust functions in practice as narrative, signal, and strategic capital.’’
The fact that we live in an era of high visibility and constant scrutiny. Credibility is no longer left to accumulate naturally; it is actively constructed and maintained through speeches, symbolic acts, ratings, #partnerships, and public commitments. Perception can be shaped in hours through #digital channels. This is the age of managed #credibility, where trust is projected and priced before stakeholders have enough direct experience to verify whether it is real.
#trust is a company’s most valuable #asset. It resides in leadership, amongst the workforce, in the minds of #customers, #suppliers, the #community, and other #stakeholders. Trust develops when actions exhibit a significant level of skill and genuine intention, leading to proven ability, dependability, openness, and compassion.
Businesses are increasingly recognising the impact of trust on their #operations, reputation and growth. According to a Deloitte survey, 94% of boards acknowledge that building trust is critical for their organisation's #performance.
Statistics show from Deloitte that only 14% of boards have been taking proactive steps to earn and measure Trust. This presents a responsibility and opportunity for leaders to help rebuild and nurture trust.
As organisations navigate market complexities, diverse stakeholder expectations, complex supply chains and climate and #sustainability challenges - the role of trust is pivotal in ensuring that trust becomes an integral part of a company's growth strategy and vision. With trust at the helm, organisations can build #credible and sustainable relationships, in an era where trust is the ultimate #currency.
In the age of managed credibility, performance and #authenticity are not mutually exclusive. It must be matched by substance.
#leaders cannot avoid performing trust. In many cases, the performance is what allows progress to begin. But performance should be treated as a bridge to proof and not as a destination. When perception is aligned with perspective, trust becomes a renewable form of capital, one that can weather scrutiny, adapt to #change, and outlast individual tenures.