The Impact of Trustworthy Leaders

Cathie Leimbach • May 22, 2023

5-fold increase in employee engagement

Trust in leadership is crucial for organizational success, as revealed by Gallup research. It plays a significant role in building strong relationships, fostering employee engagement, and driving performance.

Gallup's studies consistently indicate that employees who trust their leaders feel more motivated, committed, and satisfied.

  • When followers strongly agree they trust their leaders, 1 in 2 are engaged.
  • When followers don’t find leaders trustworthy, only 1 in 12 are engaged.

Trust creates a sense of safety, enabling individuals to take risks, collaborate, and innovate. Additionally, trust in leadership positively affects employee retention, as people are more likely to stay in organizations where they have faith in their leaders.

Trust also extends to customers. Gallup's research shows that businesses with trustworthy leaders enjoy greater customer loyalty. Trustworthiness influences consumer perceptions of product quality, reliability, and overall satisfaction.

To cultivate trust, leaders must demonstrate integrity, transparency, and accountability. They should communicate openly, listen actively, and align their words with their actions. Prioritizing trust allows leaders to foster a culture of engagement, collaboration, and high performance, essential for succeeding in today's competitive landscape.

The Performance Gap: Why Half Your Team is Burning Out

By Cathie Leimbach • September 30, 2025
Based on insights from James Hewitt's "Regenerative Performance" Something's not adding up in today's workplace. While companies demand more from their teams, the results tell a concerning story. Research shows that 50% of employees now show clear signs of burnout, and an alarming 73% feel disconnected from their work. James Hewitt, performance expert and author of "Regenerative Performance," points to a critical mismatch. We're asking people to perform at peak levels without giving them what they need to recover and recharge. Think of it like a smartphone. You can't expect your phone to run at full power all day without plugging it in. Yet that's exactly what we're doing to our workforce. We pile on meetings, deadlines, and pressure while cutting back on the very things that restore energy: breaks, development time, and meaningful connection. The solution isn't working less—it's working smarter. Hewitt's research reveals that sustainable high performance comes from balancing intense effort with intentional recovery. Teams that build in time to recharge actually outperform those that push through exhaustion. Smart leaders are already making the shift. They're protecting their people's energy as carefully as they manage their budgets. Because burned-out employees don't just hurt themselves—they hurt the bottom line too. Want to dive deeper into this issue? View The Burnout Crisis to understand the full scope of this workplace challenge. "Sustainable high performance comes from the rhythm of oscillation—not from the intensity of effort alone." —James Hewitt

Why Boring Beats Brilliant

By Cathie Leimbach • September 23, 2025
Craig Groeschel's Blueprint for Real Leadership