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Have you ever worked for a leader you couldn’t trust? Do you feel psychologically safe sharing concerns with your leader? Would you trust your leader with decisions that affect you personally and professionally? How well do you know your leader as a person—are they authentic, honest, and transparent? Trust in leadership shapes the environment for everyone involved. In the high-stakes world of leadership, trust is not just a benefit; it’s a necessity. Leaders must be intentional about fostering trust. Otherwise, they contribute to untrusting workplaces that can eventually become toxic and drive talented people out the door. A Gallup study found that only 20% of workers in low-trust environments feel somewhat engaged. In high-trust workplaces, that figure rises to 70%. This gap affects productivity, employee retention, and financial performance. When trust erodes, organizational culture and performance suffer significantly. To cultivate a trusting and engaged workplace that consistently delivers high performance, you should make every effort to avoid these “seven deadly sins” that create distrust.
Deadly Sin #1 | Deception: The Dealbreaker That Eliminates Trust
Nothing undermines trust faster than deception. When leaders lie, misrepresent, or withhold information, they destroy trust instantly, whether people say it out loud or not. They create workplaces where falsehoods are tolerated and, even worse, accepted. Everyone in this kind of environment needs to function in "C.Y.A." (Cover Your Assets) mode. Remember, any leader who lies to you will lie about you—and undoubtedly lie on you. An MIT Sloan Management Review article noted the high costs of dishonest leaders. These costs include more absenteeism, lower job satisfaction, decreased productivity, and higher turnover. To build trust, you should focus on integrity, transparency, admitting mistakes, and openly communicating. Doing this will create a trusting environment that cultivates loyalty, high performance, and long-term success.
Deadly Sin #2 | Disrespect: The Fast Track To Distrust
Zig Ziglar famously stated, “Respect is earned, honesty is appreciated, trust is gained, and loyalty is returned….” Leaders who belittle team members or ignore their contributions foster a culture of resentment, disengagement, and distrust. Other disrespectful actions include breaking promises, micromanaging, favoritism, and cultural insensitivity. A high performer recently shared how their manager yelled, screamed, and belittled them at a team meeting. Even worse, the manager frequently downplayed the high client demand for this individual and withheld glowing feedback often received from delighted clients. How did this employee respond? You guessed correctly—this individual jumped ship and went elsewhere. Disrespect drives talent away, but respect builds trust and retains talent. Listen, recognize contributions, and lead with fairness. Ask yourself: Am I building trust or breaking it? Commit to demonstrating respectfulness, and trust will soar as you consistently model this standard. Respect motivates people to follow and not flee.
Deadly Sin #3 | Disconnection: The Invisible Fence That Keeps Trust Out
Standoffishness erects an invisible fence between leaders and their teams. Leaders who keep physical and emotional distance appear detached, which makes it hard for employees to connect with and trust them. When leaders are distant, their team members may feel as if they belong to the “Out Group,” where they receive less communication, support, and fairness. Even high performers may second-guess themselves in such environments. An article in the Harvard Business Review points out that distant leadership lowers trust and morale, which can seriously affect team productivity. To build trust, break down barricades by engaging genuinely. Transform your leadership style and be visible, accessible, and responsive. Lean into the power of genuine connection today to lift morale, ignite innovation, and propel long-term success. Lead inclusively, and your team will thrive.
Deadly Sin #4 | Insecurity: The Bridge Too Shaky To Support The Weight of Trust
Insecure leaders see their team members as threats rather than assets. Instead of leveraging team strengths, they suppress talent, fostering distrust and weakening team cohesion. When top performers disengage, productivity declines, and turnover rises. Forbes Coaches Council highlights fourteen toxic traits of insecure leaders, including excessive control, defensiveness, inability to celebrate others' successes, and seeking constant approval. These behaviors leave teams undervalued, unheard, and unsupported, causing skepticism and negativity to diminish workplace trust. Trustworthy leadership requires confidence in others, not fear of their abilities. Commit to being a strong leadership bridge that supports trust. Start by shifting from self-preservation to empowerment. Encourage open feedback, delegate to optimize team strengths, and celebrate achievements publicly. What would your organization look like if trust defined your leadership?
Deadly Sin #5 | Phoniness: The See-Through Mask That Reveals Untrustworthiness
People follow leaders, not performers. Phoniness is like a clear mask. Everyone can see right through it. Phony leaders often alter their behavior to please their audience, and their actions rarely match their words. They act empathetic when they couldn’t care less. They pretend to listen by nodding in agreement while ignoring you. Simply put, inauthentic leaders will not earn trust! Brian Kelly, a Massachusetts native, was Notre Dame’s head coach for ten years. When he joined LSU, he faced backlash for adopting a fake Southern accent. He was seen as a phony, leading to distrust among players, fans, and stakeholders. Coach Kelley’s leadership and sincerity took a hit and was a major distraction. As leaders, we should regularly ask ourselves: Am I being my authentic self? Do my actions consistently align with my words? Am I trying to impress or impact? Commit to authenticity and build a team that has lasting trust in you.
Deadly Sin #6 | Poor Communication: The Breeding Ground For Distrust
In the words of Stephen Covey, “Trust is the glue of life. It's the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It's the foundational principle that holds all relationships…” Based on Covey’s wisdom, trust is essential. So, effective communication must be a top priority. Leaders must avoid poor communication habits. This includes being vague, sending mixed messages, delaying information, leaving out details, and using negative tones. These issues can deteriorate trust and cause disengagement. Whole Foods is committed to a high-trust environment. They prioritize transparency, honesty, and clear communication as key elements of trust. They don’t spin their messages to change perceptions. Instead, they believe being truthful builds trust, even when it’s risky. By sharing information openly with stakeholders, Whole Foods empowers employees, boosts engagement, and strengthens loyalty. As a leader, make a deliberate commitment to clear, honest, timely, and complete communication. Listen actively, share transparently, and follow through. When trust flourishes within your team, it will transform the workplace and everyone involved.
Deadly Sin #7 | Unfairness: The Broken Scale That Tips Against Trust
Unfairness is a broken scale that tips in favor of some and to the disadvantage of others. Unfair leaders play favorites, withhold recognition, distribute workloads unfairly, take credit for others' work or give it to someone undeserving, and so on! I had a personal experience that poisoned my perception of our top leadership.
When finishing grad school, my capstone project focused on enhancing the customer experience. Aware of this, C-suite leadership tasked me with developing, leading, and executing a training program for 2,500 employees in 60 days to improve the customer experience. I created a four-hour interactive workshop, trained more than 30 facilitators from all levels of management, and my team handled registration, logistics, and compliance. We successfully met our target with zero budget dollars and avoided significant consultant costs. After working long hours for 90 days straight, the C-suite leadership gave me no recognition, crediting others instead. I completely lost trust, and other observers also saw them through a lens of distrust. Go all in with building trust and understand that perception is a powerful personal reality. Commit to equitable actions, clear communication, consistent recognition, and practice visible fairness. Remember that trust is very personal. It takes a long time to build and a short time to lose. Make trust-building your top priority, and your team will soar.
Leadership trust is essential but fragile and can be easily undermined by the seven deadly sins of distrust. To inspire your team and foster a culture of trust, commit to unwavering authenticity, transparency, and fairness. When you are intentional, verbal, and visible about this approach, trust will fuel your team to high performance and maximum engagement.
LeaderLift equips individuals to “Build Trust and Inspire Loyalty” through assessments, training, coaching, consulting programs, and keynote speaking. Our hands-on approach to leadership development helps participants lift their performance and make a positive and sustained impact within their organizations.
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© 2025 Dr. Clinton Parker III | LeaderLift. All rights reserved.
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