CommonHealth ACTION

Making Trust Explicit and Addressing Leader Defensiveness

One of the hardest truths for leaders to hear is: “Your team doesn’t trust you.”

As points out, mistrust often stems from unspoken rules, unclear expectations, or a lack of repeated reinforcement—not necessarily bad intentions. Yet for many leaders, hearing this feedback feels deeply personal. It clashes with their self-identity as a “good leader,” which can trigger defensiveness.

highlights another challenge: How do we help leaders receive that kind of feedback with openness instead of resistance?

So here is the question for you:

When it comes to building trust, which leadership skill do you think matters most?

Poll Options:
- Making expectations explicit (and repeating them).

- Practicing self-regulation when receiving hard feedback.

- Creating psychological safety for questions and clarity.

- Demonstrating consistency between words and actions.

After voting, share your perspective in the comments:

Have you ever had to tell a leader their team didn’t trust them? How did it go?

If you’re a leader, how do you handle feedback that challenges your identity?

Making Trust Explicit and Addressing Leader Defensiveness This is "Making Trust Explicit and Addressing Leader Defensiveness" by CommonHealth ACTION on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who…

Good news—You have more time to register for The Collective Current🌊.

To make sure no one misses out, registration has been extended until Friday, October 10.

From October 30 – November 1, alumni will gather in person to:

✨ Expand networks and deepen connections
✨ Hear from funders & national experts on the equity landscape
✨ Share leadership through alumni-led sessions
✨ Co-create strategies that transform challenges into opportunities

🌊 Don’t let this extended chance pass by—the current is moving, and your leadership belongs in it.

👉 To register, you’ll need to be a member of the Interwoven community. Join Interwoven by clicking this link https://bit.ly/3Keq4Hr.

👉 If you are already an Interwoven member, click this link to https://bit.ly/4gH1o6L register.