According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), we’re living in an era marked by declining trust. This lack of trust isn’t specific to one industry or arena; generally, the average person’s trust in any kind of leadership – in business and other areas of life – has been declining since 2019. In fact, a 2025 study found that 68% percent of individuals find business leaders, specifically, untrustworthy.

This is a crisis that businesses are facing right now. Trust is tantamount to good business leadership; from attracting and retaining clients, to creating brand power that people believe in, to employee retention.

So how do you lead and build trust in a world where trust is generally declining? Whether you’re engaging with your clients, employees, or any sort of audience, in this issue of the Pulse, we take a look.

Losing trust can cost you.

Studies have found that trust in a business is important for as much as 80% of consumers. Likewise, 71% of consumers say they are unlikely to buy from a company they no longer trust, while 73% confirmed they would spend much less. Those numbers are significant. Up to 80% of your customer base is not worth putting in jeopardy by not prioritizing building trust in your business strategy.

Focus on your listening skills and processes.

Leaders who inspire trust in others are often well-regarded for their ability to listen critically and thoughtfully.

As the WEF puts it, “listening leaders can collect perspectives and data from different actors and points of view to inform their strategies and decisions, and are able to create inclusive cultures that enable even further trust-building.”

Honing your listening skills, and processes that allow you to listen and gather feedback, will help your foster trust.

Don’t expect consensus.

If you expect everyone to agree with your point of view all the time, even when you’re really sure you’re right, you’re never going to be satisfied. Good leadership involves navigating different views and interests and finding practical ways forward. Showing an aptitude for doing this, rather than demanding consensus or conformity, helps build trust with people of varying perspectives, not just yours.

Get to know people.

Whether it’s the team beneath you, your clients, or those you’re looking to for referrals, learning what matters to people builds and maintains trust. It’s as simple as asking questions, paying attention, and even taking notes – bringing it back to those listening skills we mentioned. When you show an interest in what matters to others, they trust you more.

Show consistency.

Leading with consistent trustworthy principles and traits will build a strong foundation of trust over time.

Be authentic.

How we represent ourselves, and how sincere that comes across, matters a lot in business. Your employees, clients, and network more generally will respond to what is engaging, personal, memorable – and above all, authentic. If they view you as fake, trust will be damaged.

Practice self reflection.

Think about your business, your brand, and your processes critically. Is there anything that would cause you to lose trust in a leader or a company? If so, it might be worth reassessing.

In conclusion…

Trust in business leadership is in a recession of sorts. In these circumstances, focusing on trust-building as a leader and a brand is more important than ever. If you don’t, it could cost you.