Confronting the Trust Deficit.

In Pursuit of Quality. #16.

DALL-E’s abstract attempt at depicting the concept of “broken trust.”

Who do you trust?  No, really.  Close your eyes and think about it: who do you trust?  

My guess is that you conjured up specific people—your spouse, family members, your closest friends.  I'd further bet that institutions like governments, businesses, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the media didn't come to mind.  Let's dive into the state of trust today.  What does this tell us about our pursuit of quality, globally and here in the U.S.?

Trust Really Matters.

Here's a personal confession: my relationship with trust is complicated, thanks to a childhood shadowed by a parent who was an unreliable narrator.  She'd make up stories about the past.  Tell little lies about inconsequential shit.  This early lack of trust impacted my very sense of security and belonging.  

On a much larger scale, trust is the bedrock of functional societies.  It underpins everything from daily interactions to broad economic and political structures. And it's simple: high trust leads to societal harmony, while low trust breeds unrest and division.

So it should be no surprise that the topic of trust has reclaimed center stage, lodging itself into the hearts of global leaders and change-makers. 

The Trust Barometer.

The famed World Economic Forum convened last week, organized around the provocation of "Rebuilding Trust."  As part of the proceedings, Edelman—one of the world's largest communications firms—unveiled its latest Trust Barometer.  Launched in 2000, the Trust Barometer is an annual survey that measures the public's trust in the four key institutions mentioned above: government, business, media, and NGOs.  With over 32,000 respondents across 28 countries, it's the most robust index of trust out there.  And the results are both enlightening and a bit scary.

We Trust Business (sort of). 

There's a lot to unpack in Edelman's 2024 report, so I'll just cover the most interesting findings related directly to the question of trust.  It starts with a startling fact: business is the only institution that a majority trusts, albeit at a global trust percentage of just 63%.  This is intriguing yet concerning, as it's the highest trust level across all institutions.  NGOs—not-for-profit organizations—hover at 59%.  Government and media trail behind at 51% and 50% respectively:

Respondents answer a set of questions on a 9-point scale, with these instructions: For each one, please indicate how much you trust that institution to do what is right.

Our institutions are out of whack.  The Barometer paints a jarring picture of perceived competence and ethics across these sectors:

It's a wonky matrix, but it's clear that—somehow—people see business as pretty competent and somewhat ethical; they see NGOs as somewhat ethical, but of middling competence; media is neither very competent nor ethical; and governments just plain suck globally.  

So that's where we're at. 

In the U.S.A.

We are facing a trust deficit worldwide, but some geographies have it worse off than others.  I'm going to zoom in on the U.S. as I look out the window at snow falling on New York City. 

Trust in business rates high in countries like India, China, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, with percentages ranging from 70% to 82%.  Few surprises there.  In the U.S., we're neutral at only 53%.  It goes downhill from there. We trust NGOs at 52%, government at 40%, and the media at 39%.  There are countries that harbor more distrust than we do here in the U.S., but we're damn near the bottom.  

And maybe it's this vein of distrust that's fueling our national mood.  Is this lack of trust—especially in our government and media outlets—contributing to our polarization?  Is it making our country less stable?  While it's hard to say for sure, rampant mistrust cannot be helping.

What Now, Then? 

As we confront the realities of our trust deficit, the path forward becomes a question of individual and collective action.  Trust, a cornerstone of quality in every aspect of society, screams for our attention. 

Personal Accountability — It starts with us.  Every honest interaction, every commitment we uphold, seeds trust in our immediate circles.  These personal acts of integrity are small but powerful steps towards mending the broader fabric of societal trust. 

Demanding More —  Beyond our personal sphere, we can expect and encourage more transparency and ethical behavior from institutions.  By holding businesses accountable, for example, we champion a culture where trust isn't just expected but demanded.

Collective Effort — Rebuilding trust isn't just fixing a problem.  It's an investment in a higher quality of life, governance, and interaction.  This journey requires us to go back to human roots—engaging in dialog, educating ourselves, and participating in our communities.

Trust and quality go hand-in-hand.  By addressing the trust deficit, we're doing more than solving a problem.  We are elevating the standing of quality in our personal lives and our society.  Let's not view the current state of trust as a downfall, but as an opportunity to strive for a more honest, transparent, and high-quality future.

With warmth, respect & gratitude.