Some leaders think influence is built on charisma, power, or titles. But over time, I have learned that real influence runs on one thing: trust.
Trust is the currency of leadership. It is earned slowly, spent daily, and can be lost instantly. Once it is gone, rebuilding it takes more than words. It takes consistency, humility, and time.
I think about this every time I remember one of the most meaningful partnerships of my life. Back in 2017, when Hurricane Irma hit Florida, Michael Johnson, the CEO of the Boys and Girls Club and now the author of The Audacity to Lead, called me. We both wanted to help people who had lost everything. There were no contracts, no lawyers, no fine print. Just trust. We both said, “Let’s go,” and we did. Because when trust is real, you do not need signatures. You just need shared purpose.
That kind of trust is rare. It is not flashy. It is built one honest conversation, one kept promise, one moment of integrity at a time.
What I have learned is this: most leaders do not lose trust all at once. They lose it in small withdrawals. The missed call they promised to return. The half-truth told to make things look better. The decision made in private that betrays a public promise. Each choice chips away at credibility until one day, the account is empty.
Trust is easier to spend than it is to rebuild.
If you lead people, whether it is a company, a church, a team, or a family, your trust account determines how far your influence will go. You can have all the talent in the world, but if people do not believe your word, they will not follow your lead.
So how do we build trust that lasts?
- Be clear. People do not expect perfection, but they do expect clarity. Be honest about what you can and cannot do. Overpromising is the fastest way to bankruptcy in leadership.
- Be consistent. The best leaders show up the same way in private as they do in public. Your integrity is the steady deposit that keeps your trust account healthy.
- Be present. People trust leaders who see them. Who listen. Who remember the details of their lives. Presence communicates value more than any policy ever could.
And what happens when trust is broken? It can be repaired, but only through humility. Own your mistakes. Do not defend them. Apologize, adjust, and do better next time. Every act of honesty is a small deposit toward restoration.
Trust is not built through speeches or strategies. It is built through showing up, following through, and staying true.
If you want to know where your leadership stands today, do a quick audit of your trust balance sheet. Who still believes your word means something? Who would follow you without position or pay? That answer will tell you more about your influence than any title ever could.
Because in the end, leadership is not measured by what you control, but by who trusts you enough to walk with you. And trust, once given, is the most valuable currency you will ever hold.
