Trust is the foundation of every successful team. It’s earned through consistency, transparency, and a genuine commitment to shared success. As leaders, our ability to build trust often comes down to the small, everyday moments of vulnerability and openness.

Early in my career, I was leading a sales team at ClearNET during the launch of the MiKE network, a revolutionary wireless platform. Like many startups, we faced growing pains, and the results reflected that. My boss, Barry Cohen, our National Director of Sales, came to Montreal for a town hall-style meeting to address the challenges.

Frustration was high. Many questions implied: “Barry, what are you going to do about this?” Then one pointed question came up, and Barry responded in a way I’ll never forget:

“If you were me, what would you do?”

That moment shifted the entire room’s energy. It turned the conversation from blame to shared responsibility. Barry wasn’t there to dictate; he was there to partner with us in finding solutions.

That simple question taught me the power of leading with trust. Instead of cracking down on performance, I focused on opening conversations—on goals, obstacles, and what we needed to succeed. No micromanagement, no ultimatums—just respect, transparency, and collaboration.

Building trust is the key to fostering a culture of accountability and engagement. As leaders, when we trust our teams and empower them to be part of the solution, we unlock their full potential.

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