What You Measure, You Can Achieve

Let’s keep the conversation going surrounding trust as the foundation of unity—without it, even the most well-intentioned leaders will struggle to bring people together. But many leaders don’t realize something: Trust isn’t just an abstract concept—it’s measurable and directly impacts performance. At ROI, we use a tool called the Employee Passion Survey™ to measure trust within organizations. This survey assesses four core behaviors and eight values that determine employees' trust in leadership and with each other. Research consistently shows that high-trust organizations experience:

Lower turnover – Employees stay longer when they trust leadership and their co-workers.
Higher engagement – People contribute more when they feel valued and heard.
Increased collaboration – Teams work better together when trust is strong.
Greater profitability – Companies with a trust-based culture consistently outperform their competitors and are the best-performing stocks.

But how do you know if trust is an issue in your team and/or company? Here are three warning signs:

Lack of Open Communication – Trust may be low if employees hesitate to share ideas or feedback for fear of retribution.
Decision-Making Bottlenecks – When people constantly second-guess leadership and each other, it slows everything down.
High Resistance to Change – If your team pushes back on new initiatives, it could signal underlying distrust.

How Can Leaders Strengthen Trust? If you see these warning signs, there’s good news—trust can be built. It requires intentional action, starting with these three steps:

Assess Trust Levels – Use a structured tool like the Employee Passion Survey™ to gauge where trust stands.
Model Transparent Leadership – Share information openly and be consistent in your actions and decisions.
Actively Listen – Engage your team in meaningful dialogue and follow through on their input.

When trust is strong, teams perform better, leaders inspire confidence, and unity becomes second nature. Want to measure trust in your organization? Contact Dana to learn more about the Employee Passion Survey™ and how it can help your company thrive.