The return of Donald Trump to the White House raises a fundamental question. How could a man who many view as having deep character flaws, and who has been accused of trafficking in falsehoods and defying moral norms, reclaim the presidency?
President Trump’s popular appeal points to a deeper societal problem—and, paradoxically, offers guidance for its resolution.
At the heart of this issue is the erosion of trust. Over the past six decades, trust in institutions has declined. Trust is more than a philosophical concept; it is the invisible thread that holds society together. Operating like an economic currency, it accumulates slowly but can vanish quickly. Trust underpins commerce, fosters cooperation, and underwrites institutional integrity. Without it, institutions falter, and with them, the broader framework of civilization itself.
The rise of the New Left in the 1960s, with its skepticism of tradition, relentlessly criticized the pillars of Western civilization. Religion, the state, business enterprise, and even the nuclear family are, according to this view, economically exploitative, politically oppressive, and morally illegitimate. This skepticism has spread, ironically, to contemporary right-wing influencers, who instead point an accusatory finger at the “deep state,” the “legacy media,” “big pharma,” public health officials, and the universities as harbingers of institutional corruption and moral decay.
The result? Pew Research Center has been measuring public trust in government since the 1950s. In 2023, just 16 per cent of Americans had trust in the U.S. government, which was among the lowest measures in seven decades of polling. Declining trust extends beyond government to include the news media, scientists, public health experts, post-secondary education, and the justice system. Canadians express low levels of trust in government and media too.
To be sure, public trust in institutions has declined due to a complex mix of corporate malfeasance, political polarization, media sensationalism, and perhaps above all, social media usage. The challenge is not about left or right, but about rebuilding credibility across all sectors of society. The good news is that distrust is not uniform. Certain institutions and professions enjoy good standing with the public, including nurses and small businesses.
This erosion of trust is not merely theoretical—it plays out in daily life. The decline of religious communities, once a moral and social anchor, has created a vacuum. People still crave meaning, belonging, and the bonds created by a shared moral framework, but they increasingly seek these in the workplace. Younger generations, in particular, expect corporate leaders to reflect their values and take a stand on social issues. Yet these issues are divisive, which leaves leaders with a difficult dilemma: take a stand and risk alienating one side or remain neutral and face accusations of indifference?
This dynamic is compounded by social media, which provides a megaphone to supersize the opinions of a vocal minority. Activism, sometimes spilling into bullying, pushes companies into adopting positions on divisive issues (or reversing positions). Leaders find themselves navigating a treacherous landscape where missteps can result in reputational damage. Executives and boards are understandably cautious. There is a marked asymmetry between the time and effort it takes to create a reputation and the speed, ease, and costless way in which a reputation can be throttled.
How should leaders respond to the crisis of trust?
The answer begins with authentic leadership. Authenticity is the remedy to a culture saturated with spin, posturing, and performative virtue. Leaders who traffic in falsehoods risk losing the respect of their teams. Worse, they signal to their staff that success requires participation in dishonesty.
President Trump’s appeal highlights the hunger for authenticity. His unscripted style gives the impression that he believes what he says. His supporters admire his courage in speaking his mind, even when his utterances are false or controversial. Authenticity, even when coupled with vice and error, resonates more deeply than polished insincerity.
However, President Trump’s style shows why authenticity alone is insufficient. Authenticity is more powerful when it stretches beyond speaking one’s mind but instead aligns speech with ethical action. True authenticity requires moral courage, not just bluntness.
History offers models in authentic leadership. Take Socrates, who refused to speak what he believed to be false regardless of the consequences. Socrates attributed this to his daimon, an inner voice guiding him away from falsehood. Today, we would call this “conscience.” Leaders must cultivate their inner compass, resisting the allure of fashionable pieties. What does this look like in practice?
Avoid falsity: Speak only what you believe to be true, even when unpopular. Listen to your conscience and resist the pressures of groupthink and herding bias.
Practice tactical empathy: Listen to your employees and stakeholders, acknowledging their concerns. However, avoid reflexively adopting every demand into corporate policy—polite disagreement is sometimes necessary.
State your values clearly: Articulate your principles and act on them consistently. Authentic leadership is about alignment between words and deeds. Speaking truth inspires admiration because it is accompanied by risk. Those who defy the state and the mob have paid a price—sometimes the ultimate price—but they have also triumphed in the process.
Embrace strategic silence: Not every issue requires a public stance. Companies that maintain institutional neutrality can avoid public backlash and avoid the embarrassment of reversing their positions when the political winds change. The refusal to speak may be perceived as weakness, but silence can be a strength too, especially when under pressure to take a position.
Restoring trust in institutions requires leaders to model the authenticity and integrity they wish to see in their organizations. This is not easy. Authenticity is most impactful when paired with courage—the courage to resist the crowd, to speak truthfully, and to admit when we are wrong. But the rewards are profound. Authentic leaders inspire trust, foster loyalty, and build organizations that withstand the test of time.
It is time for leaders in every sphere to heed their daimon and lead with courage, conviction, and truth. Only then can we begin to restore the fragile trust upon which our shared prosperity depends.
