Podcasts about trust barometer

How ethical, transparent and socially responsible marketing strengthens trust, loyalty and long-term performanceTrust has become a commercial issue, not just about reputation. Edelman's 2025 Trust Barometer shows that business remains the most trusted institution globally, while expectations for transparency, ethics and visible action remain high. Responsible marketing is no longer a “nice to have”. It helps brands earn permission to be chosen, believed and recommended. By the end of this session, you should be able to:Understand responsible marketing as a source of commercial value
Connect trust, transparency and ethics to loyalty and performance
Use proven models to guide responsible decisions
Recognise the risks of weak claims and poor practice
Apply practical ideas to campaigns, content and customer relationshipsMore content like this at Neil Wilkins Online https://neilwilkins.online/category/ai-marketing/Subscribe to the Neil Wilkins Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/neil-wilkins-podcast/id1327913887More webinars like this at Cambridge Marketing College http://marketingcollege.com/events

Around the world, we've become increasingly cynical about other people, public institutions, and corporations. Back in 2022, Edelman's Trust Barometer found that nearly 60% of respondents across 27 countries reported that their default is to distrust. And that's bad for business, says Stanford University associate professor of psychology Jamil Zaki. He says that cynics damage trust, and in workplaces they breed toxicity and lead to poor outcomes. He explains how to identify and change this kind of behavior at your organization. Zaki wrote the HBR article, “Don't Let Cynicism Undermine Your Workplace.”

Trust in traditional institutions is eroding. As customers lose faith in advertising, government and even online reviews, they're turning to voices that feel most relatable: peers and communities. Edelman's latest Trust Barometer shows the most credible spokesperson for a company is now "people like me." Ben Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton explore the decline of influencer credibility, the rise of community-driven word-of-mouth, the tension between authenticity and control, and why attention + trust will be the "coins of the realm" for brands in the decade ahead.  

Trust in traditional institutions is eroding. As customers lose faith in advertising, government and even online reviews, they're turning to voices that feel most relatable: peers and communities. Edelman's latest Trust Barometer shows the most credible spokesperson for a company is now "people like me." Ben Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton explore the decline of influencer credibility, the rise of community-driven word-of-mouth, the tension between authenticity and control, and why attention + trust will be the "coins of the realm" for brands in the decade ahead.  

Welcome back to Snafu w/ Robin Zander.  In this episode, I'm joined by Brian Elliott, former Slack executive and co-founder of Future Forum. We discuss the common mistakes leaders make about AI and why trust and transparency are more crucial than ever. Brian shares lessons from building high-performing teams, what makes good leadership, and how to foster real collaboration. He also reflects on raising values-driven kids, the breakdown of institutional trust, and why purpose matters. We touch on the early research behind Future Forum and what he'd do differently today. Brian will also be joining us live at Responsive Conference 2025, and I'm excited to continue the conversation there. If you haven't gotten your tickets yet, get them here. What Do Most People Get Wrong About AI? (1:53) “Senior leaders sit on polar ends of the spectrum on this stuff. Very, very infrequently, sit in the middle, which is kind of where I find myself too often.”  Robin notes Brian will be co-leading an active session on AI at Responsive Conference with longtime collaborator Helen Kupp. He tees up the conversation by saying Brian holds “a lot of controversial opinions” on AI, not that it's insignificant, but that there's a lot of “idealization.” Brian says most senior leaders fall into one of two camps: Camp A: “Oh my God, this changes everything.” These are the fear-mongers shouting: “If you don't adopt now, your career is over.” Camp B: “This will blow over.” They treat AI as just another productivity fad, like others before it. Brian positions himself somewhere in the middle but is frustrated by both ends of the spectrum. He points out that the loudest voices (Mark Benioff, Andy Jassy, Zuckerberg, Sam Altman) are “arms merchants” – they're pushing AI tools because they've invested billions. These tools are massively expensive to build and run, and unless they displace labor, it's unclear how they generate ROI. believe in AI's potential and  aggressively push adoption inside their companies. So, naturally, these execs have to: But “nothing ever changes that fast,” and both the hype and the dismissal are off-base. Why Playing with AI Matters More Than Training (3:29) AI is materially different from past tech, but what's missing is attention to how adoption happens. “The organizational craft of driving adoption is not about handing out tools. It's all emotional.” Adoption depends on whether people respond with fear or aspiration, not whether they have the software. Frontline managers are key: it's their job to create the time and space for teams to experiment with AI. Brian credits Helen Kupp for being great at facilitating this kind of low-stakes experimentation. Suggests teams should “play with AI tools” in a way totally unrelated to their actual job. Example: take a look at your fridge, list the ingredients you have, and have AI suggest a recipe. “Well, that's a sucky recipe, but it could do that, right?” The point isn't utility,  it's comfort and conversation: What's OK to use AI for? Is it acceptable to draft your self-assessment for performance reviews with AI? Should you tell your boss or hide it? The Purpose of Doing the Thing (5:30) Robin brings up Ezra Klein's podcast in The New York Times, where Ezra asks: “What's the purpose of writing an essay in college?” AI can now do better research than a student, faster and maybe more accurately. But Robin argues that the act of writing is what matters, not just the output. Says: “I'm much better at writing that letter than ChatGPT can ever be, because only Robin Zander can write that letter.” Example: Robin and his partner are in contract on a house and wrote a letter to the seller – the usual “sob story” to win favor. All the writing he's done over the past two years prepared him to write that one letter better. “The utility of doing the thing is not the thing itself – it's what it trains.” Learning How to Learn (6:35) Robin's fascinated by “skills that train skills” – a lifelong theme in both work and athletics. He brings up Josh Waitzkin (from Searching for Bobby Fischer), who went from chess prodigy to big wave surfer to foil board rider. Josh trained his surfing skills by riding a OneWheel through NYC, practicing balance in a different context. Robin is drawn to that kind of transfer learning and “meta-learning” – especially since it's so hard to measure or study. He asks: What might AI be training in us that isn't the thing itself? We don't yet know the cognitive effects of using generative AI daily, but we should be asking. Cognitive Risk vs. Capability Boost (8:00) Brian brings up early research suggesting AI could make us “dumber.” Outsourcing thinking to AI reduces sharpness over time. But also: the “10,000 repetitions” idea still holds weight – doing the thing builds skill. There's a tension between “performance mode” (getting the thing done) and “growth mode” (learning). He relates it to writing: Says he's a decent writer, not a great one, but wants to keep getting better. Has a “quad project” with an editor who helps refine tone and clarity but doesn't do the writing. The setup: he provides 80% drafts, guidelines, tone notes, and past writing samples. The AI/editor cleans things up, but Brian still reviews: “I want that colloquialism back in.” “I want that specific example back in.” “That's clunky, I don't want to keep it.” Writing is iterative, and tools can help, but shouldn't replace his voice. On Em Dashes & Detecting Human Writing (9:30) Robin shares a trick: he used em dashes long before ChatGPT and does them with a space on either side. He says that ChatGPT's em dashes are double-length and don't have spaces. If you want to prove ChatGPT didn't write something, “just add the space.” Brian agrees and jokes that his editors often remove the spaces, but he puts them back in. Reiterates that professional human editors like the ones he works with at Charter and Sloan are still better than AI. Closing the Gap Takes More Than Practice (10:31) Robin references The Gap by Ira Glass, a 2014 video that explores the disconnect between a creator's vision and their current ability to execute on that vision. He highlights Glass's core advice: the only way to close that gap is through consistent repetition – what Glass calls “the reps.” Brian agrees, noting that putting in the reps is exactly what creators must do, even when their output doesn't yet meet their standards. Brian also brings up his recent conversation with Nick Petrie, whose work focuses not only on what causes burnout but also on what actually resolves it. He notes research showing that people stuck in repetitive performance mode – like doctors doing the same task for decades – eventually see a decline in performance. Brian recommends mixing in growth opportunities alongside mastery work. “exploit” mode (doing what you're already good at) and  “explore” mode (trying something new that pushes you) He says doing things that stretch your boundaries builds muscle that strengthens your core skills and breaks stagnation. He emphasizes the value of alternating between  He adds that this applies just as much to personal growth, especially when people begin to question their deeper purpose and ask hard questions like, “Is this all there is to my life or career? Brian observes that stepping back for self-reflection is often necessary, either by choice or because burnout forces a hard stop. He suggests that sustainable performance requires not just consistency but also intentional space for growth, purpose, and honest self-evaluation. Why Taste And Soft Skills Now Matter More Than Ever (12:30) On AI, Brian argues that most people get it wrong. “I do think it's augmentation.” The tools are evolving rapidly, and so are the ways we use them. They view it as a way to speed up work, especially for engineers, but that's missing the bigger picture. Brian stresses that EQ is becoming more important than IQ. Companies still need people with developer mindsets – hypothesis-driven, structured thinkers. But now, communication, empathy, and adaptability are no longer optional; they are critical. “Human communication skills just went from ‘they kind of suck at it but it's okay' to ‘that's not acceptable.'” As AI takes over more specialist tasks, the value of generalists is rising. People who can generate ideas, anticipate consequences, and rally others around a vision will be most valuable. “Tools can handle the specialized knowledge – but only humans can connect it to purpose.” Brian warns that traditional job descriptions and org charts are becoming obsolete. Instead of looking for ways to rush employees into doing more work, “rethink the roles. What can a small group do when aligned around a common purpose?” The future lies in small, aligned teams with shared goals. Vision Is Not a Strategy (15:56) Robin reflects on durable human traits through Steve Jobs' bio by Isaac Walterson. Jobs succeeded not just with tech, but with taste, persuasion, charisma, and vision. “He was less technologist, more storyteller.” They discuss Sam Altman, the subject of Empire of AI. Whether or not the book is fully accurate, Robin argues that Altman's defining trait is deal-making. Robin shares his experience using ChatGPT in real estate. It changed how he researched topics like redwood root systems on foundational structure and mosquito mitigation. Despite the tech, both agree that human connection is more important than ever. “We need humans now more than ever.” Brian references data from Kelly Monahan showing AI power users are highly productive but deeply burned out. 40% more productive than their peers. 88% are completely burnt out. Many don't believe their company's AI strategy, even while using the tools daily. There's a growing disconnect between executive AI hype and on-the-ground experience. But internal tests by top engineers showed only 10% improvement, mostly in simple tasks. “You've got to get into the tools yourself to be fluent on this.” One CTO believed AI would produce 30% efficiency gains. Brian urges leaders to personally engage with the tools before making sweeping decisions. He warns against blindly accepting optimistic vendor promises or trends. Leaders pushing AI without firsthand experience risk overburdening their teams. “You're bringing the Kool-Aid and then you're shoving it down your team's throat.” This results in burnout, not productivity. “You're cranking up the demands. You're cranking up the burnout, too.” “That's not going to lead to what you want either.” If You Want Control, Just Say That (20:47) Robin raises the topic of returning to the office, which has been a long-standing area of interest for him. “I interviewed Joel Gascoyne on stage in 2016… the largest fully distributed company in the world at the time.” He's tracked distributed work since Responsive 2016. Also mentions Shelby Wolpa (ex-Envision), who scaled thousands remotely. Robin notes the shift post-COVID: companies are mandating returns without adjusting for today's realities.” Example: “Intel just did a mandatory 4 days a week return to office… and now people live hours away.” He acknowledges the benefits of in-person collaboration, especially in creative or physical industries. “There is an undeniable utility.”, especially as they met in Robin's Cafe to talk about Responsive, despite a commute, because it was worth it. But he challenges blanket return-to-office mandates, especially when the rationale is unclear. According to Brian, any company uses RTO as a veiled soft layoff tactic. Cites Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy openly stating RTO is meant to encourage attrition. He says policies without clarity are ineffective. “If you quit, I don't have to pay you severance.” Robin notes that the Responsive Manifesto isn't about providing answers but outlining tensions to balance. Before enforcing an RTO policy, leaders should ask: “What problem are we trying to solve – and do we have evidence of it?” Before You Mandate, Check the Data (24:50) Performance data should guide decisions, not executive assumptions. For instance, junior salespeople may benefit from in-person mentorship, but… That may only apply to certain teams, and doesn't justify full mandates. “I've seen situations where productivity has fallen – well-defined productivity.” The decision-making process should be decentralized and nuanced. Different teams have different needs — orgs must avoid one-size-fits-all policies, especially in large, distributed orgs. “Should your CEO be making that decision? Or should your head of sales?” Brian offers a two-part test for leaders to assess their RTO logic: Are you trying to attract and retain the best talent? Are your teams co-located or distributed? If the answer to #1 is yes: People will be less engaged, not more. High performers will quietly leave or disengage while staying. Forcing long commutes will hurt retention and morale. If the answer to #2 is “distributed”: Brian then tells a story about a JPMorgan IT manager who asks Jamie Dimon for flexibility. “It's freaking stupid… it actually made it harder to do their core work.” Instead, teams need to define shared norms and operating agreements. “Teams have to have norms to be effective.” RTO makes even less sense. His team spanned time zones and offices, forcing them into daily hurt collaboration. He argues most RTO mandates are driven by fear and a desire for control. More important than office days are questions like: What hours are we available for meetings? What tools do we use and why? How do we make decisions? Who owns which roles and responsibilities? The Bottom Line: The policy must match the structure. If teams are remote by design, dragging them into an office is counterproductive. How to Be a Leader in Chaotic Times (28:34) “We're living in a more chaotic time than any in my lifetime.” Robin asks how leaders should guide their organizations through uncertainty. He reflects on his early work years during the 2008 crash and the unpredictability he's seen since. Observes current instability like the UCSF and NIH funding and hiring freezes disrupting universities, rising political violence, and murders of public officials from the McKnight Foundation, and more may persist for years without relief. “I was bussing tables for two weeks, quit, became a personal trainer… my old client jumped out a window because he lost his fortune as a banker.” Brian says what's needed now is: Resilience – a mindset of positive realism: acknowledging the issues, while focusing on agency and possibility, and supporting one another. Trust – not just psychological safety, but deep belief in leadership clarity and honesty. His definition of resilience includes: “What options do we have?” “What can we do as a team?” “What's the opportunity in this?” What Builds Trust (and What Breaks It) (31:00) Brian recalls laying off more people than he hired during the dot-com bust – and what helped his team endure: “Here's what we need to do. If you're all in, we'll get through this together.” He believes trust is built when: Leaders communicate clearly and early. They acknowledge difficulty, without sugarcoating. They create clarity about what matters most right now. They involve their team in solutions. He critiques companies that delay communication until they're in PR cleanup mode: Like Target's CEO, who responded to backlash months too late – and with vague platitudes. “Of course, he got backlash,” Brian says. “He wasn't present.” According to him, “Trust isn't just psychological safety. It's also honesty.” Trust Makes Work Faster, Better, and More Fun (34:10) “When trust is there, the work is more fun, and the results are better.” Robin offers a Zander Media story: Longtime collaborator Jonathan Kofahl lives in Austin. Despite being remote, they prep for shoots with 3-minute calls instead of hour-long meetings. The relationship is fast, fluid, and joyful, and the end product reflects that. He explains the ripple effects of trust: Faster workflows Higher-quality output More fun and less burnout Better client experience Fewer miscommunications or dropped balls He also likens it to acrobatics: “If trust isn't there, you land on your head.” Seldom Wrong, Never in Doubt (35:45) “Seldom wrong, never in doubt – that bit me in the butt.” Brian reflects on a toxic early-career mantra: As a young consultant, he was taught to project confidence at all times. It was said that “if you show doubt, you lose credibility,” especially with older clients. Why that backfired: It made him arrogant. It discouraged honest questions or collaborative problem-solving. It modeled bad leadership for others. Brian critiques the startup world's hero culture: Tech glorifies mavericks and contrarians, people who bet against the grain and win. But we rarely see the 95% who bet big and failed, and the survivors become models, often with toxic effects. The real danger: Leaders try to imitate success without understanding the context. Contrarianism becomes a virtue in itself – even when it's wrong. Now, he models something else: “I can point to the mountain, but I don't know the exact path.” Leaders should admit they don't have all the answers. Inviting the team to figure it out together builds alignment and ownership. That's how you lead through uncertainty, by trusting your team to co-create. Slack, Remote Work, and the Birth of Future Forum (37:40) Brian recalls the early days of Future Forum: Slack was deeply office-centric pre-pandemic. He worked 5 days a week in SF, and even interns were expected to show up regularly. Slack's leadership, especially CTO Cal Henderson, was hesitant to go remote, not because they were anti-remote, but because they didn't know how. But when COVID hit, Slack, like everyone else, had to figure out remote work in real time. Brian had long-standing relationships with Slack's internal research team: He pitched Stewart Butterfield (Slack's CEO) on the idea of a think tank, where he was then joined by Helen Kupp and Sheela Subramanian, who became his co-founders in the venture. Thus, Future Forum was born. Christina Janzer, Lucas Puente, and others. Their research was excellent, but mostly internal-facing, used for product and marketing. Brian, self-described as a “data geek,” saw an opportunity: Remote Work Increased Belonging, But Not for Everyone (40:56) In mid-2020, Future Forum launched its first major study. Expected finding: employee belonging would drop due to isolation. Reality: it did, but not equally across all demographics. For Black office workers, a sense of belonging actually increased. Future Forum brought in Dr. Brian Lowery, a Black professor at Stanford, to help interpret the results. Lowery explained: “I'm a Black professor at Stanford. Whatever you think of it as a liberal school, if I have to walk on that campus five days a week and be on and not be Black five days a week, 9 to 5 – it's taxing. It's exhausting. If I can dial in and out of that situation, it's a release.” A Philosophy Disguised as a Playbook (42:00) Brian, Helen, and Sheela co-authored a book that distilled lessons from: Slack's research Hundreds of executive conversations Real-world trials during the remote work shift One editor even commented on how the book is “more like a philosophy book disguised as a playbook.” The key principles are: “Start with what matters to us as an organization. Then ask: What's safe to try?” Policies don't work. Principles do. Norms > mandates. Team-level agreements matter more than companywide rules. Focus on outcomes, not activity.  Train your managers. Clarity, trust, and support start there. Safe-to-try experiments. Iterate fast and test what works for your team. Co-create team norms. Define how decisions get made, what tools get used, and when people are available. What's great with the book is that no matter where you are, this same set of rules still applies.  When Leadership Means Letting Go (43:54) “My job was to model the kind of presence I wanted my team to show.” Robin recalls a defining moment at Robin's Café: Employees were chatting behind the counter while a banana peel sat on the floor, surrounded by dirty dishes. It was a lawsuit waiting to happen. His first impulse was to berate them, a habit from his small business upbringing. But in that moment, he reframed his role. “I'm here to inspire, model, and demonstrate the behavior I want to see.” He realized: Hovering behind the counter = surveillance, not leadership. True leadership = empowering your team to care, even when you're not around. You train your manager to create a culture, not compliance. Brian and Robin agree: Rules only go so far. Teams thrive when they believe in the ‘why' behind the work. Robin draws a link between strong workplace culture and… The global rise of authoritarianism The erosion of trust in institutions If trust makes Zander Media better, and helps VC-backed companies scale — “Why do our political systems seem to be rewarding the exact opposite?” Populism, Charisma & Bullshit (45:20) According to Robin, “We're in a world where trust is in very short supply.” Brian reflects on why authoritarianism is thriving globally: The media is fragmented. Everyone's in different pocket universes. People now get news from YouTube or TikTok, not trusted institutions. Truth is no longer shared, and without shared truth, trust collapses. “Walter Cronkite doesn't exist anymore.” He references Andor, where the character, Mon Mothma, says: People no longer trust journalism, government, universities, science, or even business. Edelman's Trust Barometer dipped for business leaders for the first time in 25 years. CEOs who once declared strong values are now going silent, which damages trust even more. “The death of truth is really the problem that's at work here.” Robin points out: Trump and Elon, both charismatic, populist figures, continue to gain power despite low trust. Why? Because their clarity and simplicity still outperform thoughtful leadership. He also calls Trump a “marketing genius.” Brian's frustration: Case in point: Trump-era officials who spread conspiracy theories now can't walk them back. Populists manufacture distrust, then struggle to govern once in power. He shares a recent example: Result: Their base turned on them. Right-wing pundits (Pam Bondi, Dan Bongino) fanned Jeffrey Epstein conspiracies. But in power, they had to admit: “There's no client list publicly.” Brian then suggests that trust should be rebuilt locally. He points to leaders like Zohran Mamdani (NY): “I may not agree with all his positions, but he can articulate a populist vision that isn't exploitative.” Where Are the Leaders? (51:19) Brian expresses frustration at the silence from people in power: “I'm disappointed, highly disappointed, in the number of leaders in positions of power and authority who could lend their voice to something as basic as: science is real.” He calls for a return to shared facts: “Let's just start with: vaccines do not cause autism. Let's start there.” He draws a line between public health and trust: We've had over a century of scientific evidence backing vaccines But misinformation is eroding communal health Brian clarifies: this isn't about wedge issues like guns or Roe v. Wade The problem is that scientists lack public authority, but CEOs don't CEOs of major institutions could shift the narrative, especially those with massive employee bases. And yet, most say nothing: “They know it's going to bite them… and still, no one's saying it.” He warns: ignoring this will hurt businesses, frontline workers, and society at large. 89 Seconds from Midnight (52:45) Robin brings up the Doomsday Clock: Historically, it was 2–4 minutes to midnight “We are 89 seconds to midnight.” (as of January 2025) This was issued by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, a symbol of how close humanity is to destroying itself. Despite that, he remains hopeful: “I might be the most energetic person in any room – and yet, I'm a prepper.” Robin shared that: And in a real emergency? You might not make it. He grew up in the wilderness, where ambulances don't arrive, and CPR is a ritual of death. He frequently visits Vieques, an island off Puerto Rico with no hospital, where a car crash likely means you won't survive. As there is a saying there that goes, ‘No Hay Hospital', meaning ‘there is no hospital'. If something serious happens, you're likely a few hours' drive or even a flight away from medical care. That shapes his worldview: “We've forgotten how precious life is in privileged countries.” Despite his joy and optimism, Robin is also: Deeply aware of fragility – of systems, bodies, institutions. Committed to preparation, not paranoia. Focused on teaching resilience, care, and responsibility. How to Raise Men with Heart and Backbone (55:00) Robin asks: “How do you counsel your boys to show up as protectors and earners, especially in a capitalist world, while also taking care of people, especially when we're facing the potential end of humanity in our lifetimes?” Brian responds: His sons are now 25 and 23, and he's incredibly proud of who they're becoming. Credits both parenting and luck but he also acknowledges many friends who've had harder parenting experiences. His sons are: Sharp and thoughtful In healthy relationships Focused on values over achievements Educational path: “They think deeply about what are now called ‘social justice' issues in a very real way.” Example: In 4th grade, their class did a homelessness simulation – replicating the fragmented, frustrating process of accessing services. Preschool at the Jewish Community Center Elementary at a Quaker school in San Francisco He jokes that they needed a Buddhist high school to complete the loop Not religious, but values-based, non-dogmatic education had a real impact That hands-on empathy helped them see systemic problems early on, especially in San Francisco, where it's worse. What Is Actually Enough? (56:54) “We were terrified our kids would take their comfort for granted.” Brian's kids: Lived modestly, but comfortably in San Francisco. Took vacations, had more than he and his wife did growing up. Worried their sons would chase status over substance. But what he taught them instead: Family matters. Friendships matter. Being dependable matters. Not just being good, but being someone others can count on. He also cautioned against: “We too often push kids toward something unattainable, and we act surprised when they burn out in the pursuit of that.” The “gold ring” mentality is like chasing elite schools, careers, and accolades. In sports and academics, he and his wife aimed for balance, not obsession. Brian on Parenting, Purpose, and Perspective (59:15) Brian sees promise in his kids' generation: But also more: Purpose-driven Skeptical of false promises Less obsessed with traditional success markers Yes, they're more stressed and overamped on social media. Gen Z has been labeled just like every generation before: “I'm Gen X. They literally made a movie about us called Slackers.” He believes the best thing we can do is: Model what matters Spend time reflecting: What really does matter? Help the next generation define enough for themselves, earlier than we did. The Real Measure of Success (1:00:07) Brian references Clay Christensen, famed author of The Innovator's Dilemma and How Will You Measure Your Life? Clay's insight: “Success isn't what you thought it was.” Early reunions are full of bravado – titles, accomplishments, money. Later reunions reveal divorce, estrangement, and regret. The longer you go, the more you see: Brian's takeaway: Even for Elon, it might be about Mars. But for most of us, it's not about how many projects we shipped. It's about: Family Friends Presence Meaning “If you can realize that earlier, you give yourself the chance to adjust – and find your way back.” Where to Find Brian (01:02:05) LinkedIn WorkForward.com Newsletter: The Work Forward on Substack “Some weeks it's lame, some weeks it's great. But there's a lot of community and feedback.” And of course, join us at Responsive Conference this September 17-18, 2025. Books Mentioned How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton Christensen The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton Christensen Responsive Manifesto Empire of AI by Karen Hao Podcasts Mentioned The Gap by Ira Glass The Ezra Klein Show Movies Mentioned Andor Slackers Organizations Mentioned: Bulletin of Atomic Scientists McKnight Foundation National Institutes of Health (NIH) Responsive.org University of California, San Francisco

For your communication to be credible, you can't just say it — you have to do it.Want people to believe what you say? According to Richard Edelman, the words you choose only get you halfway there. To build real trust, he says, you have to practice what you preach.“Action builds trust,” says Edelman. “If you don't do something, you can't talk about it.” As the president and CEO of Edelman, a leading global communications marketing firm, Edelman is widely recognized for his thought leadership in marketing and PR, especially on issues related to corporate trust, brand reputation, and social responsibility. His annual Edelman Trust Barometer reveals a sobering reality: "Two-thirds of people believe leaders lie to them now, business leaders, government leaders, even journalists." For people and organizations that want to rebuild trust, whether in a one-on-one relationship or with a customer base of millions, Edelman's advice is simple: "Decide, do, communicate."In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Edelman and host Matt Abrahams explore strategies for winning trust when traditional authority no longer guarantees it. In an age of skepticism, Edelman's insights show that sustainable trust comes not from perfect messaging, but from consistently aligning your actions with your words.Episode Reference Links:Richard Edelman158. Hope for Cynics: Building Trusting Relationships through Communication  Connect:Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart PremiumEmail Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.ioEpisode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedInChapters:(00:00) - Introduction (03:06) - The Evolution of Trust (04:17) - Rebuilding Trust After a Breach (05:10) - Leaders as Influencers (06:22) - New Media Ecosystems (08:06) - The Role of AI in Communication (09:26) - Key Qualities for Future Leaders (10:26) - The Final Three Questions (17:57) - Conclusion ********This Episode is brought to you by Strawberry.me. Get $50 off coaching today at Strawberry.me/smartBecome a Faster Smarter Supporter by joining TFTS Premium.    

For this episode of Sell With Authority we're zeroing in on something every agency needs — trust at scale. Not vanity metrics. Not louder messaging in an already crowded feed. Real credibility — earned in public — where your right-fit clients are watching, judging, and deciding whether you're the expert worth hiring. The noise isn't going away. And if you've been putting in the work — creating content, showing up on the right channels, following all the authority-building advice — but your pipeline still feels sluggish or unpredictable, you might be stuck in what we call “yelling in a crowded arena.” And that's exactly why today's conversation matters. According to Edelman's 2025 Trust Barometer, nearly 70% of buyers say they've made a purchasing decision based on what they saw in public forums — reviews, comments, even how companies respond. Your agency's reputation, and your clients' reputations, are being shaped long before any discovery call gets booked. Your authority position isn't just your content — it's how you show up in conversations that are already happening online. What if you could help your agency — and your right-fit clients — show up more consistently, more authentically, and with more trust, without burning out your team? That's why I'm excited to introduce today's guest George Swetlitz, co-founder of RightResponse AI. George isn't just another SaaS founder chasing trends. He knows how to lead teams, implement systems, and grow by solving real problems — repeatably. His mission now is giving agencies a way to scale review response, build trust across platforms, and mine authentic insight — all without sacrificing the human touch. If you're looking for a smarter way to earn authority… If you want to build trust before that first meeting is even on the calendar… And if you're curious how AI can actually help you do more with less — this conversation with George is one you don't want to miss. What you will learn in this episode:  Why your authority position is decided before you ever get a meeting The moment when reviews and responses become the “make or break” for customer conversion A behind-the-scenes look at big AI vs. little AI How reviews, competitor analysis, and the “recency effect” can future-proof your authority in pitches and client retention Quantitative strategies to use reviews as data Why your website isn't the center of your reputation universe How to step into a sales pitch armed with hard data about a prospective client's competitive landscape Resources: Website: https://www.rightresponseai.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-swetlitz-7b43812/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rightresponse-inc/

Seguimos analizando los resultados del Trust Barometer 2025 de Edelman con Marisa Maldonado, Directora General Adjunta de la oficina México. Resulta que los mexicanos confiamos en las empresas más que en cualquiera de las otras instituciones analizadas: ¿qué hacer con esta oportunidad? Aquí las claves.

Como cada año, nos sentamos a analizar a detalle el Trust Barometer - estudio global sobre en qué y en quién confiamos las personas- con foco específico en México. Y las noticias no parecen ser alentadoras: vivimos en una era de agravio. ¿Qué significa eso para las empresas y las instituciones? ¡Conéctense ahora mismo!

Welcome to an end-of-week update from Unmade.In today's audio-led post we share the panel discussion from the launch of the Edelman Trust Barometer. And further down on the Unmade Index, three minnows see price jumps while Enero slumps some more.Unmade's AI event for the media and marketing industry, HumAIn, is coming fast. Our annual paying members are entitled to a free ticket. It's just one of the benefits of a paying membership. Upgrade today.‘Is it fragmented? Absolutely. Is it going to improve? I can't see it.'In today's podcast we share the panel discussion that accompanied the launch of the Edelman Trust Barometer.In a key statistic, of the four key Australian public institutions surveyed, public trust in media is the worst, with just 37% now saying they trusted the media. That was behind government (47%), business (54%) and non-governmental organisations (56%).The podcast features the event's introduction from Tom Robinson, CEO of Edelman Australia, ahead of the panel led by Unmade's Tim Burrowes.The discussion featured:* Terry Flew, Professor of Digital Communication and Culture, The University of Sydney and Co-Director, Centre for AI, Trust and Governance;* Kim Portrate, previously CEO of industry body Think TV;* Gen Z strategist Milly Bannister, founder and CEO of the ALLKND charity focusing on mental health for young Australians;* Jared Mondschein, Director of Research at the United States Studies Centre. The questions tackled included the challenges to societal cohesion as trust in institutions fades, geopolitical headwinds, and why the next generation is losing trust so badly.Portrate, who departed Think TV at the end of the year amidst obvious divisions between her TV network stakeholders, told the room: “Is it fragmented? Absolutely. Is it going to improve? I can't see it. Not in the current environment and not when you've got the competitive pressure and don't abide by any of the legislation that protects the population at large.”Read more on the barometer:A good day for the little guys of the Unmade IndexThree of the smaller stocks on the Unmade Index enjoyed sources in their price yesterday, although none of them released new updates to the market.Out of home advertising company Motio saw its share price jump by 18.5%, taking it up to a market capitalisation of $8m. Boss Adam Cadwallader is due to give a trading update on Tuesday.Sports Entertainment Group, owner of radio network SEN, rose by 13.6% to a $70m market cap. And Pureprofile rose 9.1% to a $47m market cap.Enero Group, owner of agencies including BMF and Hotwire, continued to tank, with the price losing another 4.3% to what is its lowest point in almost a decade.The Unmade Index, which looks at the movements of all the locally listed media and marketing companies, ended the day in equilibrium, remaining on 526.2 points.Declaration of interest: My travel and accommodation to take part in the Trust Barometer event were covered by Edelman. Editing was courtesy of Abe's Audio, the people to talk to about voiceovers, sound design and podcast production.Time to leave you to your Friday. We'll be back with Best of the Week tomorrow. Have a great day.Toodlepip…Tim BurrowesPublisher - Unmade + Mumbrellatim@unmade.media This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unmade.media/subscribe

Glen shares a pair of interviews from last week's Deluxe Exchange conference- Scamnetic co-founder Al Pascual on a startup's mission to preempt fraud earlier in the pipeline, and Deidre Campbell on a few financial services silver linings amid troubling data from the annual Edelman Trust Barometer. Also- Bingo cards and the CFPB carousel.   Links related to this episode:   Edelman Trust Barometer: https://www.edelman.com/trust/2025/trust-barometer Our previous conversation about Edelman's Trust Barometer: https://www.big-fintech.com/Media?p=retaining-member-trust-amid-the-decline-of-authority Scamnetic: https://scamnetic.com/ Scamnetic's Fall 2024 Finovate demo: https://finovate.com/videos/finovatefall-2024-scamnetic/ Scamnetic: YouTube overview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y__BrHsi1Jc Deluxe: https://www.deluxe.com/   Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday February 26 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. Industry developments keep coming fast and furious- the CU Town Hall is the place to make sense of these items together. It's free to attend, but advance registration is required:  https://www.cutownhall.com/  Signing up for the Town Hall also earns you a card for our Bingo game tracking 2025 industry predictions.  Find out more here: https://www.big-fintech.com/Media?p=did-you-have-that-one-on-your-bingo-card Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/   https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

Trust is the lifeblood of business. That makes Edelman's annual Trust Barometer a must-read for leaders. This week's guest is Richard Edelman, the CEO of global communications firm Edelman. This year marks Edelman's 25th year doing the Trust Barometer. Richard Edelman talks to hosts Diane Brady and Kristin Stoller about why trust is more important today than ever, and gives an update on which sectors are gaining or losing on the trust scale. The conversation also highlighted a generational divide around trust, and touched on the importance of business leaders working together where possible to help address some of society's most intractable issues. Leadership Next is powered by Deloitte.

In the first of a series of interviews with the leaders of agencies around the world, Paul Holmes sat down with Richard Edelman, CEO of Edelman. In a conversation that covered the firm's history, the reasons it has remained committed to its independence, its Trust Barometer research, and the challenges Richard sees ahead as the competitive landscape evolves. Future editions of this podcast will feature a wide variety of leaders, from giant multinational agencies to small specialist boutiques, from all of the world's regions as we seek to capture what drives success in a dynamic, fast-changing, hyper-competitive PR business. Read highlights from the episode here: https://www.provokemedia.com/long-reads/article/richard-edelman-i-like-to-run-the-pirate-ship

The boys return with a cornucopia of news.  TikTok returns (or did it?). We discuss what is really going on with the Chinese-owned app, whether a US company will buy them, and which one actually will. In other news, Instagram is throwing money at creators (but needs a real model), while META goes from moderated news to community news (but not for ads). In winners and losers, Edelman is out with their Trust Barometer, and Andrew Ross Sorkin has tomorrow's media model. In rants and raves, Anthropic's CEO predicts the future and the only good news coverage of the LA fires was local. ----- This week's news links: The TikTok Ban Update China Comments on TikTok Ownership RedNote Instagram Throws Money Meta Announces Community Notes Meta's Community Notes Don't Include Ads Edelman Trust Barometer Prof G with Andrew Ross Sorkin Inside Anthropic's AI Race ----- This week's sponsor: With smaller budgets and sky-high expectations — growth is feeling pretty painful right now. But HubSpot just announced more than 200 major product updates to make impossible growth feel impossibly easy. Like Breeze — a suite of new AI-powered tools that help you say goodbye to busywork and hello to better work. With HubSpot, it's never been easier to be a marketer. Create content that breaks through and campaigns that drive revenue.   - Hubspot.com/marketers ------- Liked this show? SUBSCRIBE to this podcast on Spotify, Apple, Google and more. Catch past episodes and show notes at ThisOldMarketing.com. Catch and subscribe to our NEW show on YouTube. NOTE: You can get captions there. Subscribe to Joe Pulizzi's Orangeletter and get two free downloads direct from Joe. Subscribe to Robert Rose's newsletter at Seventh Bear.

PRWeek VP, editorial director, Steve Barrett is in Davos this week for the World Economic Forum. For this special edition of The PR Week podcast, he talks with Edelman CEO Richard Edelman, GLAAD president Sarah Kate Ellis, Omnicom PR Group CEO Chris Foster, Weber Shandwick Collective North America CEO Jim O'Leary and Infosys CMO Sumit Virmani. Plus PRWeek's Frank Washkuch and Diana Bradley bring you the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, from the inauguration of President Donald Trump to the changing fortunes of TikTok. Upcoming events!PR pros, it's time to build the future! Join PRDecoded: Comms at a Crossroads on February 4, 2025, at Convene, 237 Park Ave, NYC.Dive into the hottest trends—The White House, employee engagement, State of Mind Marketing, PE & PR, DE&I, stakeholder capitalism—and connect with industry leaders shaping what's next.Don't miss this chance to elevate your impact. Visit PRDecoded.com to register now!PRDecoded: Comms at a Crossroads. Healthcare PR pros, don't miss the PRWeek Healthcare Conference on February 4, 2025, at Convene, 237 Park Ave, NYC.Dive into health under the new administration, health equity, the latest for GLP-1s, industry innovation and best practice shaping healthcare comms. Register now at prweekushealthcare.com Follow us: @PRWeekUSReceive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek

What do comms leaders think of WPP's decision to mandate staff to work a minimum of four days a week in the office? That's the focus of the latest episode of PRWeek's Beyond the Noise podcast.WPP's decision to mandate that employees work in the office four days a week, Edelman's 2025 Trust Barometer, and Trump's second Inauguration are among the topics under the microscope in this episode.Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest issues affecting communications and PR. Download the podcast via Apple, Spotify, or listen in the browser above or on your favourite platform.PRWeek's Danny Rogers (UK editor-in-chief), Siobhan Holt (news editor) and Evie Barrett (senior reporter) debate WPP's controversial decision and discuss the positive and negative views shared by industry leaders on the hot topic.The team also analyse the recent findings from Edelman's annual Trust Barometer, plus the journalists chat about the latest news, from TikTok to Trump's Inauguration and the impact on the PR industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Health Marketing Collective podcast, where strong leadership meets marketing excellence. In today's episode, Sara Payne is joined by Paul Ratzky, EVP of health technology at Edelman, to discuss the intricate relationship between trust and innovation in healthcare marketing. This episode zeroes in on the most recent findings from Edelman's Trust Barometer and dives into strategies for building trust amidst the evolving landscape of healthcare. Paul Ratzky stresses the critical role that frontline healthcare workers, especially nurses, play in product development, not just marketing. He also sheds light on the polarized nature of healthcare decisions driven by political beliefs, the precarious state of trust in healthcare, and why empathetic communication needs to be at the heart of healthcare marketing. The discussion illustrates not only the current challenges but also emerging opportunities, especially with advancements like AI and wearable technology. From enlightening insights to actionable takeaways, this episode is packed with valuable information poised to navigate the complexities of trust in the healthcare sector. Health Marketing Collective stands out by tackling these pressing issues head-on, resonating with our commitment to empowering marketing professionals to drive meaningful change. Thank you for tuning in to the Health Marketing Collective. Remember, transparency and empathy aren't just buzzwords; they are the cornerstones for rebuilding trust in healthcare. Key Takeaways: Involving Frontline Healthcare Workers in Product Development: Paul Ratzky emphasizes the necessity of involving nurses and other frontline healthcare workers in the early stages of product development. Their firsthand experience and insights can significantly enhance the practicality and effectiveness of healthcare products, beyond just marketing them. This inclusion results in solutions that are more attuned to the actual needs of patients and providers. Building Trust through Transparency and Empathy: The episode underscores a common mistake in healthcare marketing: the lack of empathy and true understanding of the audience's perspective. Paul points out that healthcare brands should not shy away from expressing vulnerability or acknowledging challenges. Such transparency can be a powerful tool in rebuilding trust, countering the perception that being open is high-risk when, in fact, it might be riskier not to adopt these strategies. The Impact of AI and Technological Innovations: Paul discusses the surprising findings where AI, like chatbots, outperformed live physicians in quality and empathy. This points to the immense potential of AI in healthcare communications. However, he stresses the importance of transparency regarding AI's implementation, oversight, and data usage to mitigate any skepticism and ensure responsible deployment. He also highlights ongoing pilot projects aimed at integrating AI responsibly in healthcare. Trust in Healthcare Providers: Despite the precarious state of trust in healthcare at large, individual trust in personal healthcare providers remains high. This trust extends to both personal and public health issues, presenting a unique opportunity for healthcare marketers. Engaging physicians with data-driven content and involving them in the development of new tools and services can amplify trust and create a more informed and empowered patient base. Vision for Healthcare Marketing by 2025 - Focus on "Connected Care": Paul envisions a future where healthcare marketing is centered around "connected care." This involves the integration of disparate health technologies to create a seamless user experience, akin to other industries like airlines or banking. For healthcare to catch up, it must overcome regulatory and data silo challenges,...

The road to hell is paved with good intentions, says the proverb. Never has that been truer than in the case of corporate purpose, the movement that took over the business and advertising world following the financial crisis of 2008.   Nick Asbury, creative writer, corporate purpose critic, poet, songsmith, humorist and author of the new blockbuster book The Road to Hell, discusses his perspective on how the advertising and marketing business became consumed with the idea of doing good to the detriment of everything else.   We cover the wide and varied reactions to the book from the industry, the rights and wrongs of BCorp, Edelman's Trust Barometer, the link between tobacco & purpose marketing, Paul Feldwick's superb definition of "creativity", Nick Cave and AI and how ChatGPT's creator OpenAI has switched its purpose-driven goals.   Show notes: Nick's LinkedIn profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-asbury-2573322/ Asbury & Asbury web site: https://www.nickasbury.com/ Buy the book: https://www.nickasbury.com/writing/roadtohell Paul Feldwick's definition of Creativity: https://adassoc.org.uk/credos/what-does-creativity-mean-in-advertising/ Stephen Fry reads Nick Cave's letter about ChatGPT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGJcF4bLKd4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Watch Carol and Tim LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF. Edelman CEO Richard Edelman shares the results of the firm's Trust and Health Barometer report on concerns clients have about healthcare. Creatio CEO Katherine Kostereva discusses using AI to build software and automate work. Hosts: Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec. Producer: Paul Brennan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's CEOs are not just trusted to deliver on profits and lead their organizations forward. They're also tasked with driving broader societal change.For the past few years, Edelman's Trust Barometer has consistently found that business leaders are the most trusted group in society, ahead of the media and government. But with great power comes great responsibility. Society has now come to expect leaders to take a public position on an increasing number of complex issues—from climate catastrophes and geopolitical flare-ups, to changes in legislation and social justice movements like Black Lives Matter.But, taking a stand can carry huge risks. When is the right time to raise your head above the parapet? How can you best prepare and position your response to ensure your personal and professional reputation remains intact? What would we advise CEOs to say—and not say?In this episode of Leadership Lounge, we put these questions and more to four of our esteemed leadership advisors: Ty Wiggins, Kimberly Archer, Richard Davis, and Laura Mantoura. Here, our guests shed some light on how leaders can navigate this minefield and find a path forward that's right for them—and their organization.

The meaning of work has shifted, and employees across generational divides are demanding a reset. Data from a special edition of Edelman's 2023 Trust Barometer—the Trust at Work report—notes that trust in “my employer” is higher than that of most institutions out there. But employees are expecting more, and their influence in the workplace is rising. How can companies leverage trust and adapt their own practices to better address employee concerns? On the season 10 finale of the Principled Podcast, host Emily Miner discusses key findings from the 2023 Trust at Work report with David M. Bersoff, the head of research at Edelman Trust Institute. Listen in as the two explore how employers can strengthen trust in the workplace and beyond.  For a full transcript of this podcast and bios of our host and guest, visit the episode page at LRN.com.  Download the 2023 Trust at Work report. 

El reporte "Edelman 2024 Trust Barometer" se enfoca en analizar la confianza endiversas instituciones, innovaciones y cambios sociales a nivel global.Este reporte examina temas como la percepción pública de la innovación tecnológica, laconfianza en diferentes sectores industriales, y cómo la política y la economía afectanla confianza en empresas y gobiernos. Hoy conversamos con Arturo López Valerio,sobre si está o no la Innovación en peligro.¿Qué significa este reporte?¿Dónde y quien lo hace?¿Qué se toma en cuenta?¿Está la innovación en peligro?

We often overlook the fact that trust is the basis for all good culture. I called out some of the remarkable data on this in the Work In 2024 deck.In Slack's August 2023 survey of over 10,000 global office workers, trust was the top determinant of employees' productivity scores. Employees who felt trusted were 2X as productive as those who didn't. They were 30% more likely to put in extra effort at their jobs. If we don't feel trusted we're twice as likely to say we're looking for a new job.But what role does trust play in the modern company? And how can we build it?Mark McGinn is a senior leader at the communications agency Edelman, he talks to me about their research into trust and how we should seek to build it.Has our organisation replaced government? Increasingly our company is the biggest thing that we believe we can have an impact on.Mark explains that Trust in our organisation is based on four things:Organisational abilityDependabilityIntegrityPurposeYou'll strongly enjoy downloading Edelman's Trust Barometer and also Edelman's special Trust at Work report.  Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/eatsleepworkrepeat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The meaning of work has shifted, and employees across generational divides are demanding a reset. Data from a special edition of Edelman's 2023 Trust Barometer—the Trust at Work report—notes that trust in “my employer” is higher than that of most institutions out there. But employees are expecting more, and their influence in the workplace is rising. How can companies leverage trust and adapt their own practices to better address employee concerns? On the season 10 finale of the Principled Podcast, host Emily Miner discusses key findings from the 2023 Trust at Work report with David M. Bersoff, the head of research at Edelman Trust Institute. Listen in as the two explore how employers can strengthen trust in the workplace and beyond.  For a full transcript of this podcast and bios of our host and guest, visit the episode page at LRN.com.  Download the 2023 Trust at Work report. 

Edelman CEO Richard Edelman discusses the firm's Climate Trust Barometer and takeaways from COP28.Hosts: Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec. Producer: Paul Brennan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Torsten Slok, Chief Economist at Apollo Global Management, shares his thoughts on the US economy and the threat of a recession. Lisa Osborne Ross, US CEO at Edelman, provides the details of the communication firm's Trust Barometer report on Business & Racial Justice. Bloomberg Businessweek Editor Joel Weber and Bloomberg News Aerospace Reporter Julie Johnsson talk about Julie's Businessweek Magazine story Boeing's China Struggles Ease as Plane Shortage Stokes Demand. And we Drive to the Close with Aaron Kennon, CEO at Clear Harbor Asset Management. Hosts: Matt Miller and Katie Greifeld. Producer: Paul Brennan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kirsty Graham, Global President of Practices & Sectors at Edelman, shares the key takeaways from Edelman's latest Trust Barometer report- Trust and Health. Hosts: Carol Massar and Madison Mills. Producer: Paul Brennan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meet Richard EdelmanRichard Edelman is the CEO of Edelman, a global communications firm, and Chairman of Daniel J. Edelman Holdings, the firm's holding company. Now in his 26th year as CEO, Richard is one of the longest tenured agency leaders in the marketing services industry. Key Insights:Richard Edelman oversees international polling on personal and institutional trust.  Where does Political Dialog Occur? The most believable place to have a quality conversation on politics is at work. It's not in your neighborhood anymore. It's in the workplace, because people now have transferred so much of their psychic energy to work.How to Address Misinformation? There is a continued need to supplement information on social. I think companies have to participate in social put good facts in there. If they have quality information, sharing through newsletters, I just don't think media can do it aloneHow to be Trustworthy? It used to be that 75% of trust score was related to ability. Now that's taken for granted almost the other 75 has to do with who you are. Do you have a mission?This episode was made possible by our partnership with Edwards Lifesciences.Relevant Links:Read more about Richard's careerRead about Richard's company, Edelman

On this episode of the Executives' Exchange, we welcome Richard Edelman, CEO of Edelman! He will discuss his journey working alongside family to leading an award-winning global public relations firm. We will also explore the findings of this year's Trust Barometer, his insights on for business leaders navigating the polarized world we live in, and how the Midwest ranks for trust.     00:00 – Intro 00:52 – Edelman details his Childhood01:33 – Richard discusses how he joined his family business02:32 – How it's like working with family04:37 – Edelman legacy as a company07:20 – How the Trust Barometer got started09:50 – Why business is the only trusted institution 14:23 – New leadership traits in business18:25 – First force of polarization: Economic Anxieties    19:24 – Second force of polarization: Mass Class Divide 22:04 – Message from our sponsors, Shure22:34 – Third force of polarization: Institution of Imbalances24:57 – Fourth polarization the battle for truth26:26 – What media sources are trusted27:40 – How the Midwest is the least trusting region29:30 – What is the path forward                                   34:17 – Surprises with the Trust Barometer 36:34 – Rapid fire questions 38:01 – Outro              Episode Link: Edelman | 2023 Trust Barometer   Host: Margaret Mueller, President & Chief Executive Officer, The Executives' Club of Chicago   Producer: Eva Penar, Chief Content & Communications Officer, The Executives' Club of Chicago      Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you listen to podcasts.       Thank you to our podcast sponsor, Shure Incorporated.   For nearly 100 years, Shure Incorporated has developed best-in-class audio products that provide high-quality performance, reliability and value. Headquartered in Niles, Illinois, our history of innovation and expertise in acoustics, wireless technology, and more enables us to deliver seamless, transparent audio experiences to a global audience. Our diverse product line includes world-class wired and wireless microphones, networked audio systems and signal processors, conferencing and discussion systems, software, a loudspeaker, and award-winning earphones and headphones.     Find Shure on: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram  

This week I attended the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer Executive Insights event. The Trust Barometer is an annual global trust and credibility study that measures trust across society. I've used their data in my work over the years so I was surprised to learn this year that the business was named as the most trusted institution. Business is trusted more than non-governmental organizations, the media, and the government – and the only of those institutions rated both ethical and competent. 55% of Americans trust businesses. And while this isn't a large majority, overall, trust has increased across all demographics.The study also revealed that while economic anxieties, a class divide, and the spread of misinformation have led to increased polarization, the place people feel safest to talk about societal issues is the workplace. Why? Because they generally expect people to behave. Very interesting. Has that been your experience?The Trust Barometer also reveals that over 60% of your customers and employees are asking businesses to take a stand on societal issues. I believe this is good vibes indeed – the opportunity here for businesses to build upon this already growing trust can be transformative for any organization.Here are the other good vibes I found this week:2. ASL Performer Justina Miles Stole the Show at Super Bowl Lvii3. Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair4. Spain Becomes the First Country in Europe to Approve Menstrual Leave5.  Spain Gives Final Approval to Law Making It Easier to Legally Change GenderRead the full blog here: https://www.theequalityinstitute.com/equality-insights-blog/5-things-trustTo learn more about Crystal and her book, visit: https://www.crystallily.co/ Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes in DEI every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

In this uncertain economic climate, there's no better time than now to take the pulse on employee sentiment. In this episode of Transform Your Workplace, Brandon Laws interviews Soni Basi, Global Chief People Officer of Edelman. The two discuss the recent findings of Edelman's “Trust Barometer” and how employers can foster greater trust and connection in the workplace.   TAKEAWAYS Edelman's “Trust Barometer” helps employers get a sense of their employees' sentiments on a variety of timely topics. After friends and family, the workplace is the most important source of community for employees. If employees can't see that HR is truly committed to functioning as a people-first organization, organizations will continue to struggle with gaining employee trust. People want to work for a company that espouses their own values. The only way to build trust is through repeated behaviors that people expect or want to see   A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST 

As today's societal issues continue to mount, employees are turning to the workplace as one of the safer spaces for debate and a primary source of community. In fact, data from a special edition of Edelman's 2022 Trust Barometer—specifically analyzing trust in the workplace—notes that 78% of employees trust their employer over other established institutions and connections. So, how can companies leverage trust and adapt their own practices to better address employee concerns? In this episode of the Principled Podcast, host Emily Miner explores key findings from the Trust in the Workplace report with David M. Bersoff, the Head of Research at the Edelman Trust Institute. Listen in as the two discuss what drives trust and how employers can strengthen trust in—and beyond—the workplace.  Get a copy of the Edelman's Trust in the Workplace special report.    Read our blog post on takeaways from this report.    Featured guest: David M. Bersoff, Ph.D. As the Head of Research for the Edelman Trust Institute, Dr. Bersoff is the lead researcher on all of Edelman's trust-oriented thought leadership, including the Edelman Trust Barometer. He also leads the Institute's research-based collaborations. Prior to joining Edelman in 2016, David spent 18 years as a consumer insights and marketing strategy consultant at The Futures Company. In his last 5 years with the organization, he served as its Chief Insights Officer and was a member of its global board of directors. In that role, he ran the Global Insights Group and drove the research, data analysis, IP creation and product development strategy for all of their syndicated consumer insights offers – Yankelovich MONITOR, Multicultural MONITOR, Global MONITOR, Health and Wellness MONITOR, Financial Services MONITOR, and the TRU Youth MONITOR.  In addition to his background in IP development and insights product management, David has also served as a trusted advisor and marketing/brand strategy consultant to major clients in industries as diverse as financial services, automotive, media, professional organizations, energy, and the military. Prior to entering the consulting world, David spent 12 years engaged in social science research at various Ivy League institutions, including 4 years as an assistant professor of social psychology and research methodology at the University of Pennsylvania.   Featured host: Emily Miner Emily Miner is a director in LRN's Ethics & Compliance Advisory practice. She counsels executive leadership teams on how to actively shape and manage their ethical culture through deep quantitative and qualitative understanding and engagement. A skilled facilitator, Emily emphasizes co-creative, bottom-up, and data-driven approaches to foster ethical behavior and inform program strategy. Emily has led engagements with organizations in the healthcare, technology, manufacturing, energy, professional services, and education industries. Emily co-leads LRN's ongoing flagship research on E&C program effectiveness and is a thought leader in the areas of organizational culture, leadership, and E&C program impact. Prior to joining LRN, Emily applied her behavioral science expertise in the environmental sustainability sector, working with non-profits and several New England municipalities; facilitated earth science research in academia; and contributed to drafting and advancing international climate policy goals. Emily has a Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Florida with a degree in Anthropology.   For a transcript of this episode, visit https://blog.lrn.com/islands-of-civility-a-special-edelman-report-on-trust-in-the-workplace      

Lisa is a global leader in Communications. She's the managing director of Sector Specialty Agencies (SSAs), DJE Holdings and also oversees Edelman's Canadian and Latin American operations. Lisa sits on Edelman's Executive Leadership Team and has played a leadership role in Edelman's Trust Barometer initiative. In this episode we discuss the difference between trust and reputation, the true meaning of taking responsibility as a leader and much more.Related links: Robert I Sutton - The No Arsehole RuleClick here for the episode web page.For more insights straight to your inbox subscribe to the Future in Sight newsletter, and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram Brought to you by Re:Co, an ESG Software as a Service company helping clients achieve resilient competitive advantage in the long term.Produced by Chris AttawayArtwork by Harriet RichardsonMusic by Cody Martin

Jakob and Shroom Dogg discuss some good shit. You'll enjoy this one. Follow Jakob on twitter: @jakobwrites ------ Edleman's Trust Barometer 2022 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RbPanV1lFWx-ZXz2_9DMXqvJ13XAxK2Z/view?usp=drivesdk Great article from Caitlin Johnstone on the US military's poor draft: https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2022/09/20/us-lawmakers-say-student-loan-forgiveness-will-hurt-military-recruiting/ "there's a use for everyone in the empire." --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thesignalfire/message

Who and what do you trust? It seems like a straightforward question, but as we've seen time and again, events and circumstances can shift confidence and beliefs. Each year, Edelman produces the Trust Barometer, a detailed trust and credibility survey about confidence in a few different groups: business, government, media and nonprofits. Jon and Edelman Pacific Northwest General Manager Ryan Cudney discuss the 2022 Trust Barometer's findings, its implications for Seattle and Ryan's perspective on the Emerald City. Join us for Seattle City Makers with Jon Scholes and guest Ryan Cudney.

Around the world, we've become increasingly cynical about other people, public institutions, and corporations. In Edelman's 2022 Trust Barometer, nearly 60% of respondents across 27 countries reported that their default is to distrust. And that's very bad for business, says Stanford University associate professor of psychology Jamil Zaki. He says that cynics perform and feel worse, and in workplaces, they breed toxicity and lead to poor outcomes . He explains how to identify and change this kind of behavior at your organization. Zaki wrote the HBR article, “Don't Let Cynicism Undermine Your Workplace."

What you'll learn in this podcast episode Trust is foundational to business and society, so much so that the global public relations firm Edelman releases an extensive annual survey covering whom and what the public trusts. However, their 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer reveals a concerning insight: people are increasingly more inclined to distrust than trust. In this episode of the Principled Podcast, host Emily Miner explores key findings from the 2022 report, “A Cycle of Distrust,” with David M. Bersoff, Head of Global Thought Leadership Research at Edelman Data and Intelligence. Listen in as the two discuss what drives trust, why public trust in certain institutions is eroding, and how businesses can help rebuild trust moving forward.   Additional resources: Get a copy of the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer. Read our blog post on takeaways from this year's report.   Featured guest: David M. Bersoff, Ph.D. David oversees Edelman Data & Intelligence's (DxI) global Thought Leadership research including the annual Trust Barometer and Brand Trust studies. In this capacity, he is responsible for questionnaire development, leading all data analysis and insight gleaning activities, and developing new frameworks for understanding trust, credibility, and consumer-brand relationships. Prior to joining Edelman DxI, Dr. Bersoff spent 18 years as a consumer insight and marketing strategy consultant at The Futures Company. In his last 5 years with the organization, he served as its Chief Insights Officer and was a member of its global board of directors. Prior to entering the consulting world, David spent 12 years engaged in social science research at various Ivy League institutions, including 4 years as an assistant professor of social psychology and research methodology at the University of Pennsylvania.   Featured Host: Emily Miner Emily Miner is the Director of LRN's Ethics & Compliance Advisory practice. She counsels executive leadership teams on how to actively shape and manage their ethical culture through deep quantitative and qualitative understanding and engagement. A skilled facilitator, Emily emphasizes co-creative, bottom-up, and data-driven approaches to foster ethical behavior and inform program strategy. Emily has led engagements with organizations in the healthcare, technology, manufacturing, energy, professional services, and education industries. Emily co-leads LRN's ongoing flagship research on E&C program effectiveness and is a thought leader in the areas of organizational culture, leadership, and E&C program impact. Prior to joining LRN, Emily applied her behavioral science expertise in the environmental sustainability sector, working with non-profits and several New England municipalities; facilitated earth science research in academia; and contributed to drafting and advancing international climate policy goals. Emily has a Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Florida with a degree in Anthropology.

What you'll learn in this podcast episode Is trust the ultimate currency of stakeholder capitalism? If so, how can corporate leaders create a culture of trust inside and outside of their organizations? In the final episode of season 7 on the Principled Podcast, host Jen Uner talks about the role of values in building organizational trust—and frameworks to help you get there—with LRN Director of Advisory Services Emily Miner. You can listen to the other season 7 episodes mentioned in this discussion here: How values inform decisions: Unpacking the role of the CECO Trust is at stake, and other insights from Edelman's 2022 Trust Barometer You can access other materials mentioned in the discussion here: Aspen Ideas Fest panel discussion with Ellen McGirt Corteva case study LRN Benchmark of Ethical Culture   Featured guest: Emily Miner Emily Miner is the Director of Advisory Services at LRN's Ethics & Compliance Advisory practice. She counsels executive leadership teams on how to actively shape and manage their ethical culture through deep quantitative and qualitative understanding and engagement. A skilled facilitator, Emily emphasizes co-creative, bottom-up, and data-driven approaches to foster ethical behavior and inform program strategy. Emily has led engagements with organizations in the healthcare, technology, manufacturing, energy, professional services, and education industries. Emily co-leads LRN's ongoing flagship research on E&C program effectiveness and is a thought leader in the areas of organizational culture, leadership, and E&C program impact. Prior to joining LRN, Emily applied her behavioral science expertise in the environmental sustainability sector, working with non-profits and several New England municipalities; facilitated earth science research in academia; and contributed to drafting and advancing international climate policy goals. Emily has a Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Florida with a degree in Anthropology.   Featured Host: Jen Üner Jen Uner is the Strategic Communications Director for LRN, where she captains programs for both internal and external audiences. She has an insatiable curiosity and an overdeveloped sense of right and wrong which she challenges each day through her study of ethics, compliance, and the value of values-based behavior in corporate governance. Prior to joining LRN, Jen led marketing communications for innovative technology companies operating in Europe and the US, and for media and marketplaces in California. She has won recognition for her work in brand development and experiential design, earned placements in leading news publications, and hosted a closing bell ceremony of the NASDAQ in honor of the California fashion industry as founder of the LA Fashion Awards. Jen holds a B.A. degree from Claremont McKenna College.      Principled Podcast Transcript Intro: Welcome to the Principled Podcast, brought to you by LRN. The Principled Podcast brings together the collective wisdom on ethics, business and compliance, transformative stories of leadership, and inspiring workplace culture. Listen in to discover valuable strategies from our community of business leaders and workplace change makers. Jen Uner: Is trust the ultimate currency of stakeholder capitalism. If so, how can corporate leaders create a culture of trust inside and outside of their organizations? Hello, and welcome to another episode of LRN's Principled Podcast. I'm your host, Jen Uner, strategic communications director at LRN, and today, I'm joined by my colleague, Emily Miner, director of advisory services. We're going to be talking about the role of values in building organizational trust and frameworks to help you get there. Emily, thanks for joining me today on the Principled Podcast, by the way, our final episode of this season seven. Emily Miner: Yeah, thanks for having me, Jen. I'm happy to be here and honored to be rounding out an incredible season on the Principled Podcast. Jen Uner: It has been a great season, and I think we're going to have an opportunity to touch on some of the folks that we've had on the podcast. To get us started though, recently at Aspen Ideas Fest, Fortune senior editor, Ellen McGirt, asked a great question of her panel. She said, "Is trust the ultimate currency of stakeholder capitalism?" It's how we started our conversation today. I of course will say yes, but recently, you spoke with David Bersoff, head of Global Thought Leadership Research at Edelman, and he worked on the Edelman Trust Barometer. You had a chance to speak with him earlier this season, and I'd love for you to recap for us some of the insights that stood out to you. Emily Miner: Yeah. I think based on the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer, which is a fantastic annual look at levels of trust in key societal institutions, business, government, media, I think that the 2022 Trust Barometer report would say that the answer to your question and to Ellen's question is yes, trust is the ultimate currency of stakeholder capitalism. In fact, what Edelman found in their research is that business is the only institution in our society that is trusted, and that's actually a first in the 20 plus years that they have been running this type of study. Actually, for the second year in a row is business the most trusted institution. That was one of the takeaways from the Edelman Trust Barometer, and that David helped unpack when we spoke earlier this podcast season. Given that, if business is the only trusted institution for the second year running, it really underlines the question, what does this mean for leaders? How can they ensure that business remains trusted? People are looking more and more to business to help solve or address the problems of the world because we don't trust government, because we don't trust media, because we don't trust NGOs. With that mantle of being the only trusted institution, a lot more is falling on business and specifically business leaders and the expectations for them are a lot higher. I think that that really ... That was a current through the Aspen Ideas Institute that you mentioned through the conversation that took place there. Jen Uner: It really does put a lot of pressure on CEOs and leaders then. One of the stats that I thought was so interesting was how I think it was 60% of employees, they're basing their employment decisions now on the values of the companies that they're looking at and the positions that companies take around social issues, and of course they expect the company to have a position on a social issue, which I thinks it's a rather new thing. Would you say? Emily Miner: Yeah. I don't know if it's new in the past few years because I do feel like this has been a trend that I've observed in the research maybe up to the past decade or a little bit less, but it certainly every year seems to get to ... It grows. I think, first, it was a healthy minority of the global workforce or of the workforce in the United States, and now it's tipping to be a majority of the workforce. You see some of this in demographic changes as millennials grow in the size of our workforce and now Gen Zers as they're entering the workforce and the expectations that those two generations have for their employers. But it's certainly not a concept that millennials invented, but it does seem to be growing. Something that's interesting to me now where despite ... We're potentially heading toward a recession in the United States, and despite that, it's still very much an employee market out there. We're still in the midst of a great resignation, which is now really being more called a great reshuffling because it's not that people are dropping out of the workforce so much as they're leaving their jobs to find better jobs. What some research has shown is that it's not so much that I can find another job that pays me better, but it's that people are no longer satisfied with the status quo and they're looking for opportunities where they can feel more values alignment, where there's more culture of inclusion and equity in the workplace, where they feel that their company is doing something that's contributing positively to the world. Those are strong drivers of why people are jumping ship and looking elsewhere. It'll be interesting to see how that shapes the narrative and the importance of values and multi-stakeholder capitalism more generally as we continue to hopefully be coming out of the COVID pandemic and this great reshuffling in spite of some of the more negative trend lines with respect to our economy. Jen Uner: Yeah. I was just going to bring that up. When you have a business environment that's marred by an economic downturn, that puts a lot of pressure. There's then the business financial pressure on decision-making and performance for the company. Then you layer on top of that some of the social and political challenges that are happening and this need to have a position, and can you have a position on everything? Which are the things that you need to prioritize? I think often corporate leaders in ethics and compliance, our field, chief ethics and compliance officers, for example, the people listening here, they find themselves in a role of counselor to the C-suite as the company and as leaders are facing these kinds of tough decisions. One of the things that really struck me at that Aspen Ideas Institute conversation was Allstate's CEO, Tom Wilson, was one of the panelists and he spoke about a societal engagement framework. I know you had a chance to listen to his presentation. Can you tell me about their approach to decision-making and how they engage on hot button issues? Emily Miner: Yeah, absolutely. I am so inspired by this framework, and beyond that, there's so much common sense in it, and Tom Wilson talked about this societal engagement framework as something that Allstate developed a little over a year ago in response tom, he didn't use this word, but a deluge of social issues that were coming their way and that the company was being asked to take a stand on or take a position on, sign a letter that's going to be on the front page of the New York Times or what have you. It got to this point where they said, "We've got to pause and really think about how we're making these decisions." They developed what they call a societal engagement framework that they run all of these issues or questions through. The way that it starts is, first, as an added outset, how does this issue stack up against our values and the way that we do business? There needs to be a level of values alignment before they'll even entertain going further. But assuming that the issue does, they have four filters, as Tom called it, or you could also think of it as just four questions to ask. The first is, does this issue or does our taking action on this issue help us better serve our customers? The second is, do we, Allstate, have any institutional knowledge about this issue? Third is, can we affect change on this issue? What is our agency here? Then the fourth is, what impact does this issue have on our employees and our reputation? If issue A passes through all four of those filters, then Allstate will come out and they'll take a public stand, and more than just take a public stand, as in the CEO pens a letter that gets published somewhere, they'll actually come out and lead on the issue, engage on it. An example of an issue that passes this values track and the four filters is climate change. Allstate, obviously, an insurance company, and we know from science that the rate of forest fires in the west of the United States, for example, in the intensity of forest fires is ... The climate change plays a role in that. Forest fires are burning down Allstate customers homes. Does taking a stand and working to address climate change help them better serve their customers? Well, absolutely. That's an easy one. Do they have any institutional knowledge about the issue of climate change? Yeah, there's a lot of math and science that goes into determining what policy plans and rates are and the risk of different issues to someone's particular home. They have a lot of institutional knowledge about that. Can they affect change on the issue as a large insurer of homes as well as, of course, other things? Their voice carries some weight. They've worked with the government in the State of California to help shape and advance legislation and regulation, as well as perhaps other jurisdictions at the state level, or nationally as well. Then finally, what impact does this have on their employees and their reputations? Well, they know that climate change is an issue that their employees care about, and so it passes that filter. One distinction that Tom made that I thought was really helpful was that if an issue doesn't pass through the filters, it doesn't mean that they're not going to do anything with it. One of the examples that he gave was the Supreme Court recent ruling that overturns [inaudible 00:12:54]. Allstate's healthcare plan has always covered abortion care, and given the impact that the Supreme Court decision might have on some of their employees that are located in states where abortion care is no longer an option, Allstate has said, "We'll reimburse the travel, et cetera, for our employees in order to access that care." They're responding to that issue, but they're not coming out and taking a public stand on it. They're not taking a lead on reversing the reversal, shall we say, because does it help them better serve their customers? Well, they're not a healthcare insurer. Do they have any institutional knowledge about abortion care and the impacts of abortion or access or lack thereof? No. Et cetera. It doesn't pass the filters, but that doesn't mean that they're not doing anything about that particular issue. Having this societal engagement framework is a way for them to bring some discipline and structure and consistency into how they engage on the increasing number of social challenges, political challenges, climatic challenges that we as a global society and as businesses are faced with. It also tells everybody else, all of their stakeholders, their employees, their investors, their customers, it tells everybody, "This is how we do things. This is our process, and we go through this process." At the end of the day, depending on how you feel about the outcome, at least you know what that process was. I just think it's such a brilliant example of bringing that level of clarity into how they're operating in this multidimensional world and connecting it back to the Edelman Trust Barometer that we were talking about into the role of them as business leaders in fostering trust. Jen Uner: I think this clarity of where you stand and on which issues is an interesting one, because you can't necessarily stand for everything, right? You need to decide where is it your business, really? I think it's interesting how Allstate has chosen to filter a topic and arrive at a conclusion on it. This whole thing about how do you filter and how do you decide, I just find so fascinating. We had Scott Sullivan, he's the current chief integrity and compliance officer for Newmont Mining. We had him on the podcast with Joe Henry, former US compliance officer for Braskem, and they were talking to Susan Divers on our team. They were on a recent podcast and they were talking about some of the challenges they've both faced in decision-making, and one of the things that stood out for me was how they both used values to guide their decision-making and to guide their counseling of their colleagues in the C-suite, because they were both leaning into values and those corporate values might be stated differently or might be prioritized differently between the two organizations, they would arrive at different outcomes. Right? One of them would say, "Well, our policy around vaccines and masking is that you've got to do it, and no one's allowed back to the office without it." Then another organization might prioritize something else that says, "Well, it's up to you. You get to make that decision. You can work from home forever if you need to." I think it's really interesting that values plays a really important part and has a real impact on how corporate policy and ultimately behavior, how that comes to be. I don't know if you could talk to me a little bit about that, because obviously you spend a lot of time consulting on values with companies. Tell me about how that shapes company policy and behavior. Emily Miner:   Yeah. An interesting byproduct of the COVID pandemic I think has been that ... I perceive that the role of values has grown in prominence in terms of the discourse about the role of values in companies has increased. I think it's because the decisions around COVID are so hard. How do we ... Do people come in? Do they not come in? We're risking lives in making this decision. How do we keep, but we can't employ people if we don't have the money to pay the salaries? We have to keep on producing whatever it is that we produce in some level, but how do we do that? These are incredibly complex decisions. When you're in a situation where you have to make these really challenging decisions and there isn't necessarily a playbook for it. The last global health pandemic was over 100 years ago. I think a lot of companies have come out and said, "We didn't have a plan in place," because this wasn't something that was anticipated. When you don't have a playbook, or to use terminology that's common in our industry, ethics and compliance, rules or regulations about something, values help to fill that void and they guide us on what we should or shouldn't do as opposed to a playbook or a rule, which says what you can and can't do. Of course, we need rules, we need regulations, we need to know what we can and can't do and where the lines are. But there are always going to be these unforeseen situations, the variant on the scenario that we didn't anticipate when we wrote the rule, and that's where values come in. I think a lot of leaders, a lot of business leaders turned to their company's values, as well as I'm sure their own personal values, to help them navigate the incredibly complex decisions companies had to make surrounding COVID. I've read a number of accounts from business leaders that have talked about how helpful that was, and they're talking about values more internally and externally. I hope that that's a lens that business leaders will continue to use as strongly coming out of COVID, and that's at the company level, but it trickles down to the individual employee level too, because most companies offer some type of training or onboarding, or you have a code of conduct or you have policies. We have all of these resources that should tell us, again, the cans and can'ts, as well as the shoulds and shouldn'ts. But I think it's something like humans can only keep three or five things in their mind at once. We can only remember so much. Having the presence of really strong values where the values actually mean something, they're not just a nice recruitment tool on your website, but they really mean something, that's going to be infinitely more helpful guiding behavior on a daily basis across a global workforce and all the variation that comes with that. I've really been encouraged by how values have become a more dominant part of the conversation in the business community. You're right, depending on what your values are, you might have completely different outcomes. But again, it comes back to that transparency of the process and the fact that there is a process, the structure of the process that, at the end of the day, most of us can get on board and accept what it is because we understand how we got there. That's what I think is so key. It's just that transparency on how we got there. It's not so much about the end as the journey, so to speak. Jen Uner: Yeah. That makes total sense. I know in our code work, in the consulting work that you do with our clients, speaking of employee level work, we often include frameworks for decision-making, right? That work at the employee level. What are some examples of these tools that can help not just leadership, like we were just talking about a societal bigger picture one, but on the individual level? How does that play out? Emily Miner: Yeah. Actually, after watching Tom Wilson talk about Allstate's societal engagement framework, I actually went online and just Googled Allstate's code because I was curious, how do they ... do they have something similar, a similar framework that they share that they've developed for their employees? In fact, yes. In their code, they have a whole section on ethical decision-making that lists nine questions that employees should ask themselves when they're faced with a decision or a situation where the decision or the course of action is unclear. Is it legal? Okay. Yeah, that's an obvious one, but does it conflict with our values? What are the consequences of this? How would your family and friends perceive this decision or course of action that you take? These are some of the questions that Allstate included in their code that I think we ... The majority of us could probably take any number of tough, sticky, gray area situations and go through it, and is it legal? Okay, well, maybe I'm ... I don't know the law, but how would I feel if my mom knew? How would I feel if this was on the homepage of CNN? We all know how we would feel about that, and that's such a helpful ... It connects to our humanity, the human heart level. It's just really helpful framing that Allstate's providing to their employees. We help a lot of companies write their codes of conduct. Ethical decision-making models or a code in and of itself is a guide for behavior and breaking out different risk topics into what are the behavioral expectations, et cetera. But having a decision-making framework or a list of questions or whatever it is that ... It's issue agnostic, it's situation agnostic, it's just something that anybody can pick up and use. That continuity of Allstate at their company level, as well as how they translate that down to employees, it is just something that I wanted to note. But it's something that we include in most of our codes that we create for our clients. Some of my favorite examples, one of them is John Deere. Their code is beautiful, and it's who they are. It's their culture written down, which is what we always strive for. They include a decision-making framework as well and it include ... There's a series of questions and it's an interactive. You ask yourself this question and then you click yes or no, and it reveals guidance for what your next step is. But also, it starts out with is it consistent with our values? Centering the values first and then going into consistency with rules. They also ask, "Would this build trust with employees, customers, shareholders, or communities, or would it harm trust?" That is how we started at the outset of this conversation around the importance of trust in the business context. Similarly, how would I feel if my actions became public? Et cetera. They have their own framework that's speaks to their culture and to their values. Another example is Corteva, which is an agriscience company, and they also have a framework. Theirs is a little bit different. It asks a series of questions, and then depending on how you answer those questions, they give guidance on who you can consult for advice, and it's going to be different depending on the situation. That's also nice that you're not on your own, right? There are others in our organization that are here to help and can help, and if it's this situation, contact this group, and if it's this other situation, contact this other group. I also thought that's something that they did a little bit differently. They're all different. You talked about the conversation in the earlier podcast, but the goal is the same, which is to provide guidance for behavior that is reflective and supportive of who we are as an organization, what we stand for and what we value. Jen Uner: It's really, really important. One of the things that we know from our Benchmark of Ethical Culture, which is a report that you were very involved in, and it certainly steers a lot of my thinking these days. We know from the Benchmark of Ethical Culture that the companies with the strongest ethical cultures are going to outperform their peers by up to 40% in key business metrics, the standard things that you would want to have as a business like employee loyalty, innovation, adaptability, customer satisfaction, and growth. I think that taking code of conduct seriously, taking value seriously and taking culture building seriously is probably one of the most important things that a company could be doing right now, especially when you look at the Edelman Trust Barometer and the role companies have to take right now in society. Trust becomes super foundational to that. I know you've got some insights that you can share around trust building and how foundational that is for ethical culture. Emily Miner: Yeah. When we conducted our research into ethical culture globally in a business context, we looked at ... I want to say 10 different dimensions of culture and how people and organizations behave and operate, and we did some fancy statistical modeling to look at are there some aspects of culture that are more important than others? How do they relate to each other? What drives what? And all of that. What we found was that there were some dimensions that rose to the top in terms of influencing other elements of culture, as well as those business outcomes that you talked about, and trust was one of them. We found that trust had an outsized impact on whether or not people behaved ethically in an organization, and particularly when they were under pressure. I think that that's such an important idea because if you look at any number of corporate scandals, so often, not in every case certainly, but in many cases, the pressure to perform that was set out or pushed by the organization, by leaders in an organization, is part of why people did what they did. This idea that trust is one of the strongest drivers of whether people behave ethically, especially when under pressure, I think is a big one that certainly makes me sit up a little taller and take notice, because it's something that any chief ethics and compliance officer would say that they're looking for and is a goal of their program. Another area where trust really stood out as a driver of employee loyalty, we were talking earlier about the great shuffling, but I think that also makes it stand out even more for me, just in our current context. People are more likely to stay in your company, you're more likely to retain great talent if they trust you as leaders, as an organization, their peers, and if they feel trusted themselves. Jen Uner: I think one of the things that was evident too in the research is the value of transparency and building trust. Emily Miner:   To wrap up a lot of the threads that we've talked about and as it relates to transparency, one of the findings that was so compelling to me from the Edelman Trust Barometer was that the majority of people are expecting CEOs, specifically CEOs, to take a public stand on any number of social issues of our times. But at the same time, at least in the United States, these issues have become so politicized and polarizing. That's a tough bar to set for CEOs. How do they thread that needle? It's why I think that Allstate's societal engagement framework is just so brilliant, because it helps them figure out how are we going to address these issues? Responding to that majority of the population as Edelman, found they're looking for Allstate CEO and for any number of other companies' CEOs to take a stand. It's a way to respond to that call without politicizing or polarizing or without politicizing the issue, because that's not what it's about. It's not about is this a liberal cause or a conservative cause? Is it a Democratic cause or is it a Republican cause? It's four questions. Does this help our customers, do we know something about it, do we have agency over it, and what impact does it have on our employees? It really takes all of that noise out of the decision-making. I just think it's such a great example of how leaders in general can take up that mantle of society's expectations of business to help solve and address our social issues without having that response fall into any political trap that's going to alienate you or with your employees or with customers. It's such a great example and one that I hope other business leaders take inspiration from. Jen Uner: Well, I think it just really speaks to how important it is to set up those frameworks in advance so that you're not caught in panic mode or in defensive mode when it's not even necessary to be that way. Right? If you've set up those mechanisms in advance, you're going to probably come out ahead because you will have already created a framework that's going to prioritize the human response. Emily Miner: Absolutely. Absolutely. Because what's the next COVID? What's the next unexpected thing? To already have that framework in place is going to be so helpful. Jen Uner: That's why we say rules are good, values are better. Emily Miner: Exactly. Jen Uner: Goes back to that. Emily, thank you so much for joining me on the Principled Podcast today. It's our final episode of season seven, as we take a summer break and we'll resume with season eight in September. In the interim, we'll share encores of our favorite episodes from this season. To close out. My name is Jen Uner, and I want to thank you all for listening to the Principled Podcast by LRN. Outro: We hope you enjoyed this episode. The Principled Podcast is brought to you by LRN. At LRN, our mission is to inspire principled performance in global organizations by helping them foster winning ethical cultures rooted in sustainable values. Please visit us at lrn.com to learn more. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen, and don't forget to leave us a review.

Scott Harkey, CEO and Co-Founder of OH Partners, talks about brand positioning and why brand collaborations always make sense. Edelman's 2021 Trust Barometer found that consumer trust is at an all-time low and many companies are investing in more collaborative opportunities to rebuild that trust. While the right collaborations and partnerships can grow your brand's reach, bad ones can just as quickly destroy the trust of your audience. Today, Scott discusses unconventional collaborations through partnerships. Show NotesConnect With:Scott Harkey: Website // LinkedInThe MarTech Podcast: Email // Newsletter // TwitterBenjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn // TwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Scott Harkey, CEO and Co-Founder of OH Partners, talks about brand positioning and why brand collaborations always make sense. Edelman's 2021 Trust Barometer found that consumer trust is at an all-time low and many companies are investing in more collaborative opportunities to rebuild that trust. While the right collaborations and partnerships can grow your brand's reach, bad ones can just as quickly destroy the trust of your audience. Today, Scott discusses unconventional collaborations through partnerships. Show NotesConnect With:Scott Harkey: Website // LinkedInThe MarTech Podcast: Email // Newsletter // TwitterBenjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn // TwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tune in to hear:- What are some of the primary drivers of asset flows from a behavioral perspective?- Soft factors account for a lot more of clients' decision-making process about their assets - what is the takeaway, for asset managers and financial advisors, from this revelation?- What are the three different types of trust that Herman breaks down in his book?- Interpersonal trust might be the most important pillar of trust, as well as being the most within an advisor's sphere of control. What can one do to build and fortify this with our client base?- What is the number one most trusted profession in both the US and nearly globally? Why might this be the case?- Why are financial professionals rated so low on the Edelman Trust Barometer? Could they ever be trusted at the same level as those in a medical profession?- What are the “Big 5” personality traits and how can they be applied to deepen the understanding between clients and advisors?https://www.thetrustmandate.comhttps://www.prospectabriefings.comCompliance Code: 0919-OAS-5/24/2022

A new mid-year Trust Barometer is out from Edelman, and the news is excellent for most things Western (and bad for all things autocratic). Who in the West didn't fare well? Companies that have opted to continue doing business in Russia.Continue Reading → The post FIR #259: Trust Rises in Companies That Left Russia appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

A new mid-year Trust Barometer is out from Edelman, and the news is excellent for most things Western (and bad for all things autocratic). Who in the West didn't fare well? Companies that have opted to continue doing business in Russia.Continue Reading → The post FIR #259: Trust Rises in Companies That Left Russia appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

In a world where, according to Edelman's Trust Barometer, corporations are more trusted than the government and media, what do you do with that trust? At SXSW, we assembled a powerhouse panel to answer that question. This week, Oxford Road's Founder and CEO, Dan Granger joins media veterans, Jory Des Jardins (CMO, Countable) and Natasha Simko Morgan, Ph.D. (Head of Enterprise Marketing, Indeed) to discuss the increasing challenge of aligning brand values with media spend.

Edelman CEO Richard Edelman discusses the findings of the global communication firm's Trust Barometer report “Trust in Healthcare.” Hosts: Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec. Producer: Paul Brennan. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

“The headline here is that lost trust can be regained,” says Sandra Sucher, Professor of Management Practice at Harvard Business School. In conversation with Edelman Trust Institute Executive Director Justin Blake, Sucher unpacks the 2022 Trust Barometer, sheds light on her latest findings and makes clear that trust – at the personal or corporate level … Continue reading "Sandra Sucher on How Companies Build, Lose and Regain Trust"

A CNN Business report says that Americans are showing up sick to work even as Omicron spreads. Why? Millions of frontline employees can't stay home without missing a paycheck and many don't have paid sick leave. The Business Communicators discusses why this is a problem and offers potential solutions to keep workers healthy and safe.Who can you trust or is trust overrated? Let's talk about trust. The 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer dropped last week, and it reports that trust in government and media is sinking further into the void. The Trust Barometer reported that people trusted their CEOs more than government and wanted their business leaders to voice more opinion in societal issues. A number of business executives received promotions and the pressure to deliver is high. Is this a valid expectation? Should Business influence government decisions? Also, trust in the media corroded in the wake of ‘fake news,' readers have plethora of mediums for their media consumption.  Listen up as Austin, Hattie, and Thomas provide their key takeaways on the annual report.Music Credit: Smoke (with Lostboycrow) – Feather FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 

Podcast topics:- Rafferty talks about starting a new role and taking on more responsibility during her largely remote tenure at Wells Fargo, moving from the agency world to running comms for a large financial institution, the future of live events and business conferences and more.- Discussing the details of IPG Dxtra CEO Andy Polansky's plans to retire after a 38-year career and the future of Weber Shandwick and IPG Dxtra;- The implications of Edelman's latest Trust Barometer report, which found consumer trust has declined across media, government and business;- On the potential benefits and risk of Unilever's bid for the consumer healthcare arm of GSK;- The key players on GM's revamped comms team, which included hiring for 20 new positions and reconfiguring existing teams;- On IBM's Jonathan Adashek moving into a new communications role to include marketing;- On Microsoft's move to acquire Activision Blizzard for nearly $70 billion in the largest-ever gaming sector deal of its kind and what it means for the future of the metaverse and ongoing PR crises at Activision Blizzard.

Edelman CEO Richard Edelman discusses the firm's 2022 Trust Barometer. Hosts: Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec. Producer: Paul Brennan. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

This week, we have the pleasure of hearing from Evan Hamilton, the Director of Community at Reddit. Evan joined the Reddit team at a time when trust was broken between the moderators and the Reddit team. Evan rebuilt trust in the community by ensuring transparent communication with the moderators, addressing concrete issues, humanizing both the employees and the moderators, and creating small programs and teams to work directly with moderators. The community council became crucial to building trust and was created as a safe space for moderators to share feedback, challenges, questions, and insights with the executive team of Reddit. We talk about the beauty of Reddit's pseudonymity and how users bring their true selves to the table and talk openly about their low points and experiences, finding a sense of belonging by connecting with ‘their people'. Reddit will continue growing its community programs at scale to enable and support its moderators through any challenges and questions they have. Who is this episode for?: B2C, Online, Scaling 3 key takeaways: - The steps to building community trust include communicating transparently, addressing concrete issues, humanizing everyone, and creating programs to enhance community communication and processes. - The benefit of pseudonymity in the Reddit community is that it gives people a place to be 100% themselves and share vulnerable, real experiences that they have been through. This outlet helps users find ‘their people' and feel a sense of belonging. - Reddit scaled its large moderator community by creating a Community Council to provide information, receive feedback, and communicate effectively with moderators representing ‘subreddits'. These members would distill information from the council to their moderator teams and ensure everyone was on the same page. Notable Quotes: 1. What did you practically do to make it feel like a safe space? I think some of it is just the access. It's easy to be frustrated when you're talking to a representative, right? It's the, “I want to talk to your manager syndrome.” You feel like the person you're talking to doesn't have power and so you just try and push past them to get to their manager. By actually involving the product managers who are building these products and eventually involving our execs, it was clear that you're not going to get any higher up the chain. This is the person who's building this thing and I think that helps. Having a buffer in between can be good but can also be detrimental because people feel like this representative isn't going to go fight for me. I think the other part was just framing and priming and setting up the conversation as, ‘Hey, we're all here because we're on the same page. We want Reddit to be great. We want moderators to be a big part of that.' 2. “What we've seen on Reddit is the benefits that pseudonymity brings and that people can really bring. They're their true selves to the table, right? I've seen amazing conversations where, you know, mothers are sharing their experiences with postpartum depression, something that they really may not feel comfortable sharing, attached to their name in a public setting. We have amazing communities for marginalized groups. We have support communities like stop drinking, where people are talking very, very honestly about their low points and because of the pseudonymity combined with a very robust safety team, making sure that regardless of what pseudonym you're using, you're behaving, people are able to be themselves and let this raw part of them loose.” Rapid fire question answers: 1. What's your favorite book to recommend to others? “Predictably Irrational” OR “Big” 2. Who's an up and coming community builder you think is going to do big things? Shana Sumers & Carter Gibson 3. What's your go-to community engagement starter? Food or a bracket system 4. What is your favorite subreddit? ATBGE - Awful Taste But Great Execution 5. One metric to use for the rest of your career to measure communities? Trust Barometer. 6. Weirdest community you've been a part of? Theater (extraverted actors and introverted tech people) 7. If you're on your death bed and you could only leave one piece of life advice behind for all the future generations, what would that advice be? Listen to People. We spend way too much time thinking about ourselves and not listening to others.