Stephen M.R. Covey on The Currency of Trust: Why Influence Begins with Being Influenced

In this powerful episode of The WiLD Conversation, Dr. Rob McKenna sits down with Stephen M. R. Covey, best-selling author of The Speed of Trust, to explore the transformative power of trust in leadership, relationships, and organizational life. In a world marked by declining institutional confidence, Covey argues that trust isn’t just a value—it’s a measurable, learnable competency that multiplies performance and accelerates impact.

Listeners are invited into a conversation that challenges the myth that trust is soft or intangible. Covey reframes trust as a strategic imperative and leadership skill that determines how quickly we can innovate, collaborate, and lead through change. In his words, “Low trust is a tax. High trust is a dividend.”

The conversation also touches on a key paradox of influence: To lead effectively, we must first be willing to be influenced—to genuinely understand others before we expect them to follow us. As leaders model humility and create space for others to feel deeply seen and heard, they become catalysts for real trust.

🔑 Key Takeaways for Leaders:

• Trust is a performance multiplier. It impacts everything—from speed and cost to employee engagement, innovation, and well-being.
  
  
• Trust is learnable. It’s not a fixed trait but a developable competency that can be cultivated with intention and integrity.
  
  
• To influence, be influenced. Understanding someone deeply—until they feel understood—is the doorway to earning trust and leading with impact.
  
  
• Trust creates joy and energy. Neuroscience now backs what many leaders intuitively know: high-trust cultures are not only more productive, they’re more human.
  

 

• In a world of declining trust, being trusted is a differentiator. Leaders and organizations who make trust a goal—not just a tool—gain a significant edge.