James R. Rector
Publisher, Profiles in Leadership Journal
Trust behaves like a battery. It powers performance, but it drains faster than most leaders realize.
Every broken promise, every unclear message, every unacknowledged effort depletes the charge. The battery may look full, but then a crisis hits, and suddenly the team has no reserve to draw on.
Wise leaders treat trust like a daily recharge. They keep promises, however small. They give credit quickly and specifically. They share context so people are not left guessing. Each of these acts plugs the battery back in.
The strongest teams are not the ones without strain. They are the ones whose trust battery is strong enough to survive the strain.
At Home
Parents know this too. A child’s trust is not built in grand gestures. It is built in daily reliability, showing up for practice, keeping confidences, being present when asked. Families with strong trust batteries weather storms together.
Your question: What single promise kept this week would give your team a visible charge of trust?
About the series: The 3-Minute Leader™ is a weekly micro-essay for emerging and promotable executives.
James Rector
James Rector is the founder and publisher of Profiles in Leadership Journal, a publication that has honored over 2,500 leaders in its 27-year history. His work focuses on spotlighting individuals whose character, courage, and quiet consistency shape the future of leadership.
