Trust needs (specific) words and deeds
In the last week, as the Middle East crisis has escalated, some of the loudest communication in the world has become some of the least trusted. In a world where information overload is a strategy, the trust problem is not about visibility.
This week, the President of the United States posted a viral video that combined Iron Man, Top Gun and military strike footage to convince Americans that the Middle East crisis could be won. While the reach was extraordinary, I can’t be alone in thinking it had zero impact on building trust in the US strategy.
The instinct to tackle trust by taking a stand is not limited to governments. Too often, when organisations try to tackle a trust problem, they reach for values statements, residents’ charters and campaigns without equally investing in the relationships or practical, specific actions to translate those words into sustainable change.
The macro-level attempt to build trust contributes to the erosion of trust in global and national institutions year in year. This year’s Edelman Trust Barometer 2026 finds a 16 point fall in trust in national government while trust in local Councillors and employers has increased. We believe in those we see taking action to improve our daily lives.
This point was made brilliantly by Ben Shimshon, CEO of Think, Insights, in a presentation to one of my client’s on shifting public attitudes and engagement. He referenced the work of Dr Steve Van Riel, Teneo, who defines the distinction as between capital-T Trust, the macro shift that leaders aim for when they commission a values statement or publish a residents’ charter; and small-t trust earned in specific relationships, through specific actions, that specific people can point to and verify. Its a point reinforced by the IoIC IC Index 2025 which finds internal communications is most effective in changing behaviour when it feels personal and tied to colleague experience.
This approach was critical to why, at the London Borough of Newham, we were able to increase engagement by 35% with our participatory democracy programme, People Powered Places. Using first person stories of specific outcomes, we overcame scepticism in the Council’s ability to deliver grant funding and demonstrated the value of being involved. It led to grassroots community support that delivered a step change in momentum.
The trust challenge must shift from being consider only about communications to understanding how communications and action reinforce relationship and experience. A housing association that publishes a residents’ charter then meets its commitments consistently will build trust. One where the residents’ charter was communicated loudly but it made no difference to actions taken or outcomes would see trust collapse.
Its time we recognise that to ‘win’ trust, we have to focus on earning it, relationship by relationship through specific, visible action reinforced by consistent, accessible communication.
