
The Trust Stewards: Why Trust Matters More Than Ever with David Horsager
From WiLD Conversation by WiLD Leaders
June 2, 2026 · 45 min · Episode 70
About this episode
The episode discusses the importance of trust in organizational challenges and leadership with expert David Horsager.
What if the challenges we label as engagement problems, culture problems, leadership problems, or performance problems are actually trust problems at their core? In this episode of The WiLD Conversation Podcat, Dr. Rob McKenna and Sabeth Kapahu sit down with trust expert and researcher David Horsager to explore why trust remains the foundational driver behind organizational health, leadership influence, team performance, and human connection. David shares the story of how a late-night realization transformed his career and led to the development of the Eight Pillars of Trust, a framework now used by leaders and organizations around the world. Together, they discuss the relationship between trust and leadership development, why trust can be measured, the practical behaviors that build credibility, and what it means to cultivate trust in an age shaped by AI, uncertainty, and increasing skepticism. The conversation moves beyond theory into the deeply personal, touching on family, humility, continual learning, vulnerability, and the responsibility leaders carry to become more trustworthy themselves. This episode is a powerful reminder that trust is the leading indicator behind every…
People in this episode
Hosts: Dr. Rob McKenna, Sabeth Kapahu
Guest: David Horsager
Topics covered
- trust
- leadership
- organizational health
- team performance
- Eight Pillars of Trust
- human connection
Keywords
- trust
- leadership
- organizational health
- Eight Pillars of Trust
- team performance
- credibility
- AI
- vulnerability
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