Building a Strong School Culture

The 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report on Trust at Work has just been released. It highlights some critical points about listening to employees, respecting diverse perspectives, and building trust by ensuring employees feel heard, valued, and included in decision-making.  There are some interesting statistics relating to Associates (entry level and non-managerial employees) that particularly caught my eye, reinforcing what we regularly talk to clients about at True. These included: Associates have stronger trust in their peers and co-workers ('people like me') than senior leadership. In fact, they are 2.5 times more likely to trust their colleagues compared to their CEO. There’s a strong desire from associates to have an opportunity to provide input and feedback to their managers even if those opinions may differ.  Many associates feel left out of organisational transformations and of those who have recently experienced an organisational transformation, only 22% said the experience was positive.  An area of concern for me is the mental health gap between associates and executives. There’s a significant disparity with 41% of associates rating their mental health as very good or better, compared to 75% of executives. To me this indicates the toll that feeling excluded or powerless can have on mental health.  Here are three things we often advise that leaders and communicators can do to help bridge these gaps.   1.      A people-centric approach to change and transformation where people are given the space and time to understand what is happening.  Involving colleagues early and often.   2.     Embedding listening into your ways of working so that all colleagues can share their thoughts and ideas with leaders and feel their input genuinely matters.    3.    Empowering employee voice through Champion Networks, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and other employee-led groups can play a vital role in building trust and inclusion by providing a safe space where associates can share concerns, ideas, and feedback, which might not be easily communicated through formal channels. The full report is well worth a read you can find it here https://lnkd.in/e4wJHaNE

It might not look like it, but I’m actually quite approachable. Not when I’m grilling candidates on The Apprentice, perhaps, but definitely in work situations. I’m particularly mindful of creating a collegiate, non-threatening environment where colleagues feel safe sharing ideas, concerns, and especially mistakes. Here are four actionable ways you can enhance approachability and build trust with your team: 1. Be present and visible Approachability starts with visibility. If your team rarely sees you or feels they’re intruding when they do, they won’t speak up. Walk the floor, join informal conversations, and make time for spontaneous interactions. Your presence signals you’re open to hearing them, even outside formal meetings. 2. Think aloud and invite the input of others Explain your reasoning — and uncertainties — when making decisions. This creates space for others to contribute ideas or challenge assumptions. During meetings, outline options and explicitly ask for input. This builds trust and shows you value diverse perspectives. 3. Admit to your own mistakes Leaders who own their errors make it safer for others to do the same. Share a recent mistake in a team debrief and what you learned from it. This “models imperfection” and encourages a culture of learning from failure. 4. Use debriefs as learning moments After key projects or challenges, organise post-mortem meetings to review outcomes. Ask open-ended questions like, “What could we have done differently?” or “What should we carry forward next time?” These sessions will also repair tensions from stressful moments. Approachability is a leadership skill like any other. It takes effort and focus. But by fostering openness, you’ll build stronger relationships, improve performance and create a culture of trust. What techniques have you seen that bring out the best in people?

The Doctor Partnership Model: How the Best Hospitals Build Trust That Lasts The most successful hospitals share something in common that rarely gets discussed at industry conferences. It is not their infrastructure, their location, or their marketing budget. It is the quality of the partnership between the administration and the medical staff. When this partnership is strong, extraordinary things follow. Clinical outcomes improve because doctors feel supported and empowered. Patient satisfaction rises because the care environment feels cohesive. Revenue grows because doctors invest their best work and their best referrals in a place they trust. Attrition drops because talented clinicians stay where they feel valued. The hospitals that build lasting doctor partnerships share three approaches: 1] They respect clinical autonomy while being transparent about business realities. Doctors are brilliant professionals who understand complexity. They appreciate being included in conversations about the hospital's financial health, competitive landscape, and strategic direction. When administration shares this context openly, doctors become partners in problem solving rather than recipients of top down decisions. 2] They create governance structures that give doctors genuine voice. Not advisory committees that meet once a quarter, but real participation in decisions about clinical protocols, equipment investments, hiring priorities, and service line development. When doctors see their input reflected in action, their commitment deepens in ways that no contract can achieve. 3] They invest in presence. The most underrated thing any hospital leader can do is show up in clinical areas consistently. Walk the wards. Be in the OT / ICU / ER corridors. Sit in departmental meetings. Not to supervise, but to understand. When doctors see that the people running the hospital genuinely understand their world, the quality of every subsequent conversation transforms. Building this kind of partnership takes patience, humility, and genuine care for the people who make healthcare possible. But the hospitals that invest in it create something that competitors find very difficult to replicate: a culture where doctors want to do their best work. What is one practice your hospital follows that has strengthened the partnership between administration and medical staff? I would love to learn from your experience. #DoctorEngagement #HospitalLeadership #HealthcareOperations #ClinicalGovernance #MedicalStaff #IndianHealthcare

Most policies don’t protect people, they protect the system from trusting them. One person messes up and a new policy is born. Not to fix the root cause, but to make sure it never happens again. Soon, you’re not managing performance. You’re managing fear. Buurtzorg Nederland, the Dutch healthcare rebel, did the opposite. They removed middle managers, job descriptions, and HR manuals. Self-managed teams made the decisions, and trust made it work. That challenged me. So when we worked with a construction client in Doha, we asked: What if the policies were the problem? The team was buried in approvals and process. I had my doubts. One supervisor asked, “If we remove the rules, what if someone takes advantage?” Another said, “This won’t work here. We’re not Buurtzorg Nederland.” We didn’t push. We listened. Then we rewired: → Brain-based safety cues → Co-created Trust Charters → Weekly feedback spaces Some leaned in. Others waited unsure if this was just another HR fad. One team went too informal and missed key handovers. We course-corrected. That’s when we saw the truth: Trust isn’t a tool. It’s a muscle. Built conversation by conversation. By week six, a quiet foreman — the one no one expected suggested a workflow change. It was adopted across divisions. No one gave him permission. No one needed to. Because trust made him feel he could. It’s still imperfect. But today, there are fewer policies and more ownership. That feels like a culture shifting. What’s one policy your team follows that no one truly believes in? Let’s explore what trust could do instead. #neurogetics #renergetics

Sometimes in a team, two or three people become so close to the manager that most communication flows only through them. While it may start as convenience, it can quietly turn unhealthy—especially if information gets filtered, twisted, or delayed for personal advantage. This often leads to misunderstandings, hidden tensions, and a silent divide within the team. The truth is, many of us have felt this frustration but kept quiet to avoid being seen as “negative” or “political.” However, staying silent can allow the problem to grow. As individuals, we can address it by being respectful yet honest—asking for clarity directly from the manager, not feeding gossip, and focusing on facts rather than assumptions. This keeps our integrity intact while signaling that open communication matters to us. Leaders and organisations must acknowledge that this is not just a “people issue” but a cultural one. Leaders can set a standard where all important updates reach the entire team at the same time—through open forums, group chats, or regular meetings—so no one feels “left out” or overly dependent on certain individuals. Organisations can invest in leadership training that focuses on transparent communication, emotional intelligence, and unbiased decision-making. They can also encourage anonymous feedback channels so employees feel safe to share concerns. From a deeper perspective, leadership is about serving the collective good, not personal alliances. When the system itself promotes openness, fairness, and inclusion, teams begin to work with trust, unity, and a shared sense of purpose—where no one needs to compete for closeness, because everyone feels equally connected.

Employees stay where they feel they belong. Not where the coffee is better, not where the perks are louder—but where their presence is valued, their voice matters, and their work feels meaningful. We all go through tough moments: ➟ Companies still suffer from the recession. ➟ Many have had to make difficult cuts. ➟ More jobs will be automated. Free snacks, fancy offices, and ping pong tables can be fun. But they can't replace genuine appreciation. They won't fuel people's motivation. This is what people need right now: ✅ Leaders who listen ✅ Constructive feedback ✅ Recognition of achievements ✅ Encouraging open communication ✅ Ensuring every person is treated fairly ✅ Professional development opportunities ✅ Advocating for team needs to upper management ✅ Maintaining transparency during organizational changes ✅ Standing with the team, especially during hard times ✅ Shaping an environment of mutual respect and trust ✅ Protecting the team from unnecessary pressure ✅ Addressing concerns with empathy and action ✅ Collaborative teams that nurture belonging ✅ Supporting work-life balance with care ✅ A safe space to voice concerns freely ✅ Trust in the vision and direction ✅ Work that feels fulfilling Providing this kind of support is at the core of leadership. Focusing on what truly matters. Growing places where trust is the norm. Where people feel seen, heard, and valued. Shared by: Mental Health

48% of employees say they work in a ‘low-trust’ workplace. Wherever I go, Dublin, Dubai, Detroit, the story’s always the same: Trust is never shattered all at once. It’s leaked. 💬 Vague feedback 📆 Missed follow-ups 👀 Quiet eye-rolls in meetings And once it’s gone: ❌ People check out long before they quit 📈 Innovation stalls 🐌 Speed slows But here’s the good news: Trust isn’t a feeling. It’s a system. Built through repeatable behaviours — using frameworks anyone can learn. Here are 7 science-backed ways to build trust your team can feel, follow, and fight to keep: 🧠 The Trust Equation ↳ Credibility + reliability + intimacy, divided by self-interest ✅ Track promises visibly. Follow through fast. 🔺 The 5 Behaviours of a Cohesive Team ↳ Trust is the first brick ✅ Start meetings with real check-ins before diving into work. 📈 Radical Candour ↳ Challenge directly, care personally ✅ Give honest feedback with heart — not just sugar-coated praise. 🧬 The SCARF Model ↳ Protect what people value most ✅ Explain the “why” early. Certainty builds calm and trust. 🌊 The 5 Waves of Trust ↳ Self-trust starts the ripple ✅ Close one integrity gap before asking others to follow. 🪜 The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety ↳ Trust climbs when fear steps aside ✅ Thank people publicly when they speak up or disagree. 🧪 The Neuroscience of Trust ↳ Trust lives in behaviour, not belief ✅ Praise effort in the open. Visibility strengthens connection fast. Trust doesn’t rebuild itself. But it can be rebuilt. Deliberately, consistently, and with the right systems in place. These seven aren’t theory. They’re proven tools. Use them well. And you won’t just rebuild trust. You’ll compound it. ♻️ Repost for your network (and look ridiculously clever while doing it.) Follow 👋 David Meade Keynote Speaker for science-backed strategies you can use this week.

💡 Trust: The True Engine of High Performance leadership in the Workplace The image captures a powerful truth about human motivation: "PEOPLE DON'T GIVE THEIR BEST WHEN THEY'RE WATCHED. THEY GIVE THEIR BEST WHEN THEY'RE TRUSTED." This is a cornerstone principle for effective leadership and modern management. The Shift from Surveillance to Empowerment In an older management paradigm, the focus was on control and surveillance. The belief was that performance required constant oversight—watching the clock, monitoring activity, and checking every step. However, this environment often breeds anxiety, stifles creativity, and leads to mere compliance, not commitment. People perform the bare minimum required to avoid reprimand, holding back their true potential. The Power of Trust-Based Leadership The most effective leaders understand that trust is a far more potent motivator than fear. When you extend trust to your team members, you are essentially saying: * "I believe in your competence." * "I respect your judgment." * "I value your ownership of the task." This shift from "watching" to empowering unlocks discretionary effort—the willingness of an employee to go above and beyond what is strictly required. Building a Culture of Trust For managers looking to implement this principle, consider these actionable steps: * Focus on Outcomes, Not Hours: Define clear goals and metrics, and then step back. Allow your team the autonomy to determine the best path to achieve those results. * Grant Decision-Making Authority: Delegate meaningful tasks and the authority to make necessary decisions. This shows you have confidence in their ability to handle responsibility. * Be Consistent and Transparent: Trust is built on predictability. Be transparent in your communication, consistent in your standards, and own your mistakes. * Support, Don't Hover: Shift your role from "supervisor" to coach and resource provider. Be available to help remove roadblocks, but resist the urge to micromanage the execution. A team that feels trusted is a team that is engaged, innovative, and resilient. They deliver their best not because they have to, but because they want to. #Leadership #Management #Trust #EmployeeEngagement #HighPerformance #FutureOfWork Would you like me to expand on any of these points, or perhaps draft a few engaging questions to include at the end of the post?

Trust among teams is essential for the delivery of outstanding collaborative care. Here are four ways we support an atmosphere of trust at Northwestern Medicine. 1. Use consistent messaging. When workforce members hear different things from different people, or hear nothing at all from their leaders, they may not know what to believe. Unified messaging from leaders to staff members gives the workforce confidence to trust what they hear. How we do it: Quarterly leadership sessions help disseminate important messages for leaders to reinforce with their teams, and my CEO monthly messages ensure the entire workforce gets the same information about key topics. Our chief nursing officer also sends a monthly message to the nursing staff, which makes up about a quarter of our workforce. 2. Ask for and respond to feedback. Being open to input from everyone across the organization ensures that people feel they have a voice in the work they do; following up on that input helps them trust that they are valued and respected. How we do it: In addition to engagement surveys and focus groups, staff have access to a general feedback form and a form for submitting breakthrough ideas. Input is shared with leaders for follow-up. 3. Reinforce a values-based leadership model. For the workforce to trust that the organization is committed to its foundational values, leaders need to set the example for staff to follow. How we do it: We have four values at Northwestern Medicine: Excellence, Teamwork, Integrity and Putting Patients First. We have robust internal training resources to help our leaders understand what the values look like in practice, and annual evaluations are tied to adherence to the values. 4. Encourage staff to get to know each other. When colleagues get to know each other, they understand each other better – their motivations, their challenges and their goals. Understanding builds trust. How we do it: We have workforce resource groups, special-interest groups, mentorship programs, a workforce volunteer team, optional workforce outings and IGNITE (Inspiring Growth, Networking, Improvement, Togetherness and Engagement) groups that bring together colleagues from across the organization to learn about each other, bond over shared interests, and support personal and professional growth. To encourage conversation, I have also launched an internal video series called One Big Question, in which a workforce member and I get together and ask each other one thought-provoking question about our work at Northwestern Medicine. My hope is that this video series will spark similar discussions among teams across the organization. Trust – between patients and care teams, leaders and staff, and co-workers – is part of what makes Northwestern Medicine better. #NMBetter