Part 2: How Trust Statements Reveal Your Worldview

During a recent worldview conversation with industry leaders, the discussion quickly revealed their underlying assumptions. One financial director firmly stated, "Russell, you can't trust people. If you do, they'll take advantage of you." Another leader challenged this perspective, sharing, "I struggle with trusting my people. However, I've adopted an approach of 'trust, then verify.'" A third participant smiled and added, "It's best to inspect what you expect." These statements, shared within minutes of each other, demonstrate how our deepest beliefs about people emerge in casual conversation—and how dramatically they shape our leadership approach.

While Part 1 explored the origins of our worldview—the family, friends, mentors, and workplace experiences that informed the developmental stages that shaped us—Part 2 examines how these beliefs manifest in our daily language and leadership approach through what I call "trust statements."

The phrases we routinely use reveal our deepest assumptions about people and the world. Like an invisible operating system, these statements guide our decisions without conscious awareness. I've witnessed how dramatically they affect team performance, underscoring the urgency for leaders to address their beliefs.

Consider two project managers with similar technical skills. One consistently says, "If you want something done right, do it yourself." His first boss fired people for mistakes, embedding a belief that safety requires control. His team performs reliably but rarely innovates or takes initiative—they await instructions and avoid risks. Another manager operates from "people rise to expectations" and "everyone brings valuable perspectives." Her team consistently outperforms on problem-solving and adaptation. The difference isn't skill—the worldview shapes how team members are treated and respond.

Trust Statements versus Truth Statements

It's crucial to distinguish between trust and truth statements in our leadership language. Both types of statements inform our worldview through values, beliefs, and behaviors. Truth statements express absolutes or core convictions—the hills we're willing to die on. Trust statements, by contrast, are often truisms or axioms providing general wisdom or perspective. When someone says, "Trust is relative," they're offering a trust statement, not necessarily a truth. These language choices significantly shape our leadership philosophy.

Discernment is crucial in responding to relationships, whether we deal with trust or truth statements. We must honor one another by respecting similarities and differences. Our worldview reflects assumptions we've made about how the world should work. The challenge for all of us is to consider how these assumptions continue to serve us and those around us, emphasizing the importance of respect and understanding in our interactions.

In Part 1, we identified seasons of growth and development. Worldview often shifts during these transitions. As one mentor once shared with me, "The things worth fighting for become fewer as I get older, yet there are a few things I will die for." Our truths typically become fewer and deeper as we mature. Ultimately, your truth statements inform your trust statements, creating a coherent leadership philosophy.

Our trust statements typically reflect four orientations:

Protection-Oriented: "Better safe than sorry," "Keep your guard up"
Skepticism-Based: "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is"
Experience-Based: "I've been burned before," "People don't change"
Control-Oriented: "If you want something done right, do it yourself"

The most revealing exercise is completing "People are..." Your instinctive responses expose your fundamental assumptions about human nature. Leaders who believe "people are lazy unless motivated" create management systems with heavy oversight—often producing the very behavior they fear. Those who think "people want to contribute meaningfully" develop stronger teams through delegation and development.

These statements connect directly to the worldview foundations we explored in Part 1. The voices that shaped your early understanding now speak through your leadership language. The good news? Awareness creates choice. By recognizing your trust statements, you can evaluate whether they still serve your leadership goals.

Reflection Questions:

When the last time you faced a conflict with someone, what may have been some trust or truth statement that may not have aligned with your worldview?
What are your top three "People are..." statements?
What trust statements reflect one of the four primary orientations?
What are you most common trust statements that you share at home or work?

Action Steps:

Ask for feedback about how others perceive your trust level based on your trust statements.
Identify one assumption that you've held true that may need to be challenged.