rebuilding trust

“Everything has been said before, but since nobody listens we have to keep going back and beginning all over again.” —André Gide (1869–1951)

How do we rebuild trust in expertise in a world filled with conspiracy theories and distrust of institutions?

Experts and leaders have to shift their values toward transparency, honesty, and humility in their communications and actions, being upfront about the limitations and uncertainties of their knowledge, acknowledging mistakes and failures when they occur, and being open to feedback and critiques. By showing that they are not infallible or above accountability, experts can help to dispel the perception of elitism and disconnection from the public.” —Joan Westenberg 2024-04-09

If knowledge flows at the speed of trust then our society is in a lot of trouble today. For example, the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer revealed, “a new paradox at the heart of society. Rapid innovation offers the promise of a new era of prosperity, but instead risks exacerbating trust issues, leading to further societal instability and political polarization”. No trust, no knowledge flow.

Henry Mintzberg suggested that social pressures and isolation account for widespread mistrust and the dumbing-down of society.

Like rats in an overcrowded cage, the pressures of modern life, including the pace of change, can certainly be affecting our propensity to pause and think. Thoughtfulness is hardly encouraged in a society plagued with insecurity and anxiety … Welcome to our mindless society, poisoned by its own fake facts.”

In hierarchies, experts, and dogma I said that established and institutionalized professional organizations too often lack the diversity of thinking necessary to deal with complex problems, such as a novel coronavirus. The fact that this SARS-2 pandemic continues and is ignored shows how untrustworthy the hierarchies leading our health care systems are. Simple measures, such as mandating air filtration in all public places, could effectively reduce several airborne diseases and simultaneously improve learning in schools. Why is this not being done? Are we collectively too dumb?

THE LANCET COVID-19 COMMISSION TASK FORCE ON SAFE WORK, SAFE SCHOOL, AND SAFE TRAVEL — APRIL 2021

I have suggested that each of us has to find out how we can become knowledge catalysts in a liquid world, helping to make our networks smarter, more resilient, and able to make better decisions. How do we rebuild trust? One catalyst at a time.