Real-time strategies to build public trust

Trust isn't complicated. But most people get it wrong. Let me explain. I analyzed 500+ sales conversations and found something shocking: The highest-performing reps weren't using fancy trust-building techniques. They were using these 3 simple triggers that nobody talks about: 1. Real-time validation 🚫 Not customer logos 🚫 Not case studies 🚫 Not testimonials But showing prospects LIVE: → Who's viewing their content right now → Questions others are asking → Active engagement metrics Result? 73% higher meeting show rates. 2. Reverse referrals Instead of asking for referrals, document exactly: → How others found you → Their specific journey → Their exact results I tested this with 50 prospects: ✅ 41% response rate ✅ 28% meeting rate ✅ 19% close rate 3. Ambient reassurance Small, consistent actions that build trust: → Weekly performance updates → Public progress tracking → Regular capability proof My team's results: ✅ Trust scores up 47% ✅ Sales cycle shortened by 31% ✅ Close rates increased 22% Here's what nobody tells you: Trust isn't built through big gestures. It's built through small, consistent actions that prove you're reliable. I implemented these triggers last quarter: → Pipeline increased 52% → Close rate jumped 31% → Average deal size up 27% I’ve broken down this full framework above so you can study it, save it, and start applying it immediately. Remember: While others focus on complex trust-building strategies, these simple triggers consistently outperform. Ready to transform your trust-building approach? Let's connect. #SalesStrategy #TrustBuilding #B2BSales #GrowthHacking #RevenueLeadership

Trust in American institutions has been declining for years. Today less than half of Americans trust health care leaders, and health care journalism is rated last in terms of trust from America’s public—all according to the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer. While some researchers say the phenomenon of mistrust isn't new and has come in waves across a century of American history, the recent Edelman findings feel especially troubling now as we look ahead to the future of US health care.    No one has all the answers on where to go from here, but as I consider the road ahead, I’m grounded in part by the strategies shared by David Rousseau and Noam Levey on separate past episodes of the podcast I host with Don Berwick, Turn on the Lights. The strategies they each offered for building public trust in journalism can be applied by health care leaders in the work we do every day --   1. Be transparent about your methods. Show people the data, sources, best practices that inform your thinking.   2. Have the humility to know you don’t always know the answers.    3. Bring in local expert voices that your community/audience connects with and trusts, and make sure those voices are diverse.   4. Use plain language, never jargon. Connect with people in their terms and on their terms.    5. Make people/patients the focus, always. Put their experiences, needs, assumptions, point of view at the center of EVERY cause, case, and communication you make.    Trust is crucial for optimal functioning of the health care system. Whether you’re a health care journalist, leader, or provider you can put these strategies to work and contribute to our collective rebuilding of trust in health care.    For more, listen to past episodes of Turn on the Lights here: https://bit.ly/3YWXL5f and explore IHI’s theory of how to repair, build, and strengthen organizational trustworthiness in health care: https://bit.ly/40MNQkh. 

Trust is a bridge. You can’t invoice someone until they believe it will hold their weight. Enterprise sellers? They rent bridges from their brand. That’s why “no one gets fired for buying the G2 darling or the top-right on Gartner.” Brand = pre-built steel and concrete. Small business? You don’t have that bridge (yet). You have a face. A voice. A calendar full of humans. So your job is different: build trust one plank at a time—fast. The fastest material on earth for that job is video. Ask any gen Z consumer :). Why video works (especially when you’re small): It makes your face the logo and your voice the jingle. It turns “maybe later” into “I know this person.” It compresses months of emails into 60 seconds of felt credibility. How to build the bridge in public (steal this cadence): 30s “Who I Help + Why” — webcam, eyes on camera. State the painful moment you fix. 60s “Show Your Work” — quick screen-share solving a specific problem; narrate decisions. 90s “Receipt Reel” — stitch a customer clip, a before/after, or a Vidyard reply. No polish. 10s CTA — invite one action Rules that separate closers from posers: Ship imperfect > wait for perfect. Talk to one ICP per video. Teach one thing. Show one proof. Ask one next step. Big companies can rely on the logo to do the trusting. You can’t. But the upside? When you’re small, one great video can do what a Fortune 500 brand mark does—at 1/1,000,000th the cost. Be willing to be known well before you’re well-known. Hit record. Build the bridge. Walk them across.

I walked into a room full of frustration. The project was off track, the budget was bleeding, and trust had worn thin. As the new project manager, I had 30 days to rebuild what was broken not just the plan, but the relationships. 💡 Here’s the exact trust-building strategy I used to shift the momentum - one conversation, one quick win, and one honest update at a time. ▶ Day 1–5: I started with ears, not answers. 🎧 Active Listening & Empathy Sessions I sat down with stakeholders - one by one, department by department. No slides. No status updates. Just questions, empathy, and silence when needed. 💬 I didn’t try to fix anything. I just listened - and documented everything they shared. Why it worked: They finally felt heard. That alone opened more doors than any roadmap ever could. ▶ Day 6–10: I called out the elephant in the room. 🔍 Honest Assessment & Transparent Communication I reviewed everything - timelines, budgets, blockers, and team dynamics. By day 10, I sent out a clear, no-spin summary of the real issues we were facing. Why it worked: I didn’t sugarcoat it - but I didn’t dwell in blame either. Clarity brought calm. Transparency brought trust. ▶ Day 11–15: I delivered results - fast. ⚡ Quick Wins & Early Action We fixed a minor automation glitch that had frustrated a key stakeholder for months. It wasn’t massive, but it mattered. Why it worked: One small win → renewed hope → stakeholders leaning in again. ▶ Day 16–20: I gave them a rhythm. 📢 Clear Communication Channels & Cadence We set up weekly pulse updates, real-time dashboards, and clear points of contact. No more guessing who’s doing what, or when. Why it worked: Consistency replaced confusion. The team knew what to expect and when. ▶ Day 21–25: I invited them to the table. 🤝 Collaborative Problem-Solving Instead of pushing fixes, I hosted solution workshops. We mapped risks, brainstormed priorities, and made decisions together. Why it worked: Involvement turned critics into co-owners. People support what they help build. ▶ Day 26–30: I grounded us in reality. 📅 Realistic Expectations & Clear Next Steps No overpromising. I laid out a realistic path forward  timelines, budgets, trade-offs, and all. I closed the month by outlining what we’d tackle next together. Why it worked: Honesty created stability. A shared plan gave them control. 💬 In 30 days, we hadn’t fixed everything but we had built something more valuable: trust. And from trust, everything else became possible. Follow Shraddha Sahu for more insights

In my pre-Bain life I did a fair amount work focused on making government payments accessible, easy to use, and modern. Recent DOGE efforts draw attention to the need for improvement, but I fear the result will be chaos. But it is a wake-up call for how we can do better. Payment enabled eGov solutions ought to be seamless, secure, and efficient. Instead, they are often a mess of inefficiency, manual processes, and legacy systems that frustrate both citizens and businesses. Governments can (and must) do better. Based on my work with municipal, state/provincial, and national agencies here in the U.S. and abroad, here are my suggestions: 1️⃣ Go digital—but do it right Paper checks and manual processing should be relics of the past. e-payments reduce costs, increase speed, and improve security. But modernization needs to be done strategically, not as a rushed power grab. The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) stresses the importance of clear policies to ensure smooth implementation. 2️⃣ Prioritize security and access controls One of DOGE’s biggest missteps was attempting to override Treasury’s existing safeguards. To retain trust, governments need to implement robust security protocols, multi-factor authentication, and access restrictions to prevent unauthorized use of sensitive financial data. 3️⃣ Build transparency and accountability Every payment should be auditable, and every decision should be accountable. Establishing clear oversight mechanisms prevents fraud and ensures public trust. Solutions like real-time transaction monitoring and transparent reporting help keep everyone honest. 4️⃣ Leverage APIs and interoperability Government payment systems should integrate seamlessly with banking infrastructure, tax agencies, and social services. APIs allow for better data exchange, reducing processing delays and ensuring more efficient fund distribution. 5️⃣ Ensure 24/7 availability Citizens rely on government payments for essentials. Government agencies can take advantage of round-the-clock payment rails. But real time payment infrastructure isn't enough. Gov agencies need redundancy measures in place to prevent downtime and must streamline internal processes to ensure that benefits and refunds aren’t delayed by bureaucratic inefficiencies. 6️⃣ Use smart reporting and analytics Robust data analytics can help detect anomalies, optimize agency cash flow management, and prevent fraud. Government entities should invest in AI-driven insights to improve forecasting and decision-making. The Path Forward Government payment modernization isn’t just about technology—it’s about trust. DOGE’s overreach highlights the dangers of prioritizing speed over thoughtful execution. The alternative? A strategic, well-governed shift toward digital, secure, and interoperable payments that serve the public good. The stakes are too high to get this wrong. Let’s make sure we get it right. (photo is me in Islamabad back in 2016)

AI is transforming how government operates — but how do we know it’s working for the people we serve? The new M-25-21 memo from the Office of Management and Budget lays out a bold path for accelerating the responsible use of AI in federal agencies. Included in this policy is a powerful reminder: if we’re not listening to the public, we’re not doing it right. Section 8 of the memo directs agencies to actively solicit feedback from the public — not just during design, but throughout the entire lifecycle of an AI system powering service delivery and more. It calls for usability testing, post-transaction, “Tell Us About Your Experience” prompts, public meetings, and more. Customer experience (CX) is central to AI governance and service delivery. Today’s most forward-leaning agencies are operationalizing CX — not just measuring satisfaction, but embedding real-time feedback loops into the systems that power everyday interactions. With the rise of AI, these feedback mechanisms are more critical than ever. Why? Because while AI can scale decisions, CX ensures we scale the right ones. And to do that you need nervous system of experience. Operational CX platforms allow us to: - Track the impact of AI on service quality to understand effeciency and effectiveness with great fidelity - Identify friction and failure points in real time - Enable continuous learning from the voice of the customer and employee - Build trust through transparency, responsiveness, and accountability This is mission-critical. As we invest in modernizing government through AI, we must also modernize the way we listen. Feedback is the fastest path to efficiency, effectiveness, productivity, innovation, performance, trust, and better outcomes. AI moves fast. Trust moves at the speed of experience. Embracing operational CX will help build and transform systems that work for the people. #Leadership #AI #CX #ServiceDelivery #OperationalCX #CustomerExperience #PublicTrust #Technology #Innovation #Government

How I built authority and trust faster with livestreaming (and how you can too) Livestreaming is the fastest way to build real-time connections with your audience at scale. Why? Because people crave authenticity, and there's nothing more authentic than going live. It forces you to be genuine, unscripted, and in the moment—qualities that today's audience values more than a polished, edited video. If you’re not going live here or on other social channels, you’re missing out on a direct line to your audience’s trust and engagement. Want to increase your audience engagement? Here’s how: Consistency is key – Start going live weekly. The more you show up, the more your audience will too. Engage directly – Livestreaming allows for live Q&A and real-time reactions. This gives your audience a voice and making them feel heard. Authenticity over perfection – People relate to real moments. Embrace the mistakes—they make you more relatable. Repurpose your content – Turn your livestream into snippets for posts, podcasts, or blog articles. If you're still only relying on pre-recorded videos to build trust, you're already behind. Livestreaming is the now and future of marketing and sales. What’s stopping you from hitting "Go Live" on LinkedIn?