The 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer reported that “a majority of respondents believe that government leaders (57%), business leaders (56%), and journalists (59%) are purposely trying to mislead people by saying things they know are false. The global infodemic has driven trust in all news sources to record lows with social media (35%) and owned media (41%) the least trusted; traditional media (53%) saw the largest drop in trust at eight points.”

When trust disappears, job number one for business leaders is to regain trust; without trust, productivity and engagement will plummet. While not the complete answer, there is an equation for explaining trust that does provide some helpful insights.

Most of the elements in this equation are self-explanatory, with the exception of intimacy, which refers to the safety or security that we feel when entrusting someone with something; it’s the equivalent of “she has always safeguarded my interests”.

In today’s environment, both credibility and reliability have taken big hits. Richard Edelman, CEO of Edelman, said, “We’ve been lied to by those in charge, and media sources are seen as politicized and biased.”

At such a moment, there is little room for a leader to just say, “Trust me.” You have to rebuild trust, carefully and methodically. It takes time, it takes proof, and it requires consistency.

For example, credibility and reliability are by-products of your saying something and having it proven true over time. You do what you say you will do. The facts you share are proven as actual facts.

It may be tempting for business leaders to think: why have we lost trust, when we have never lied to our customers or employees? The Edelman Report observed that “only one in four respondents practice good information hygiene; news engagement; avoid echo chambers; verify information; and do not amplify unvetted information.”

In other words, 75% of the general public (translation: your employees) have habits that make it easy for them to absorb and repeat inaccurate information. That, in turn, has created an environment in which it is exceedingly difficult to know who or what you can trust.

Rebuilding trust is a painfully slow process that requires care, sensitivity and consistency. However, leaders who undertake this journey with thoughtfulness and skill will rise above the noise, create more loyal followership, and attract the best talent over time. Just don’t try to rush the progress; if you move too quickly or look for easy hacks, the problem will actually get worse.