Antoinette Weibel thinks trust rocks! As a researcher and professor at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland, Antoinette has devoted much of her life to the study of trust, specifically in the workplace. Traci cold-called Antoinette, and what resulted is a multifaceted and fascinating conversation on trust, vulnerability, and why trust has eroded in society and at work over the past 25 years. 

On this episode of The Sidewalk Talk podcast, Traci gets the chance to ask Antoinette all about her research on trust and how trust, or a lack thereof, colors us both as employees and leaders. Together, the two explore trust within organizations, employee engagement and wellness, and what Antoinette hopes will shift in the future when it comes to trust in the workplace. Their conversation wraps up with Antoinette sharing her top three ways to cultivate trust: taking an interest in your employees, listening to those employees, and then finding things to appreciate about them. Trust is such an important topic in our organizations and society at large right now—don’t miss this compelling conversation! 

Episode Timeline:

• [00:07] Intro 

• [02:52] Meet Antoinette 

• [04:18] What Antoinette has learned about trust 

• [11:45] The chipping away of trust in society  

• [13:49] Antoinette’s definition of trust 

• [15:05] Trust within organizations 

• [19:37] Employee engagement and wellness 

• [24:07] The principles of trust Antoinette sees in her own life and career 

• [26:59] Vulnerability and gender roles 

• [33:29] What Antoinette hopes shifts in the workplace 

• [35:29] The top 3 ways to cultivate trust 

• [36:40] Antoinette’s word to you 

• [37:42] Outro 

Resources Mentioned:

• The University of St. Gallen

Standout Quotes:

• “It’s good to start with a bias towards trust.”
  —Antoinette Weibel 

• “I’m really daring something because I believe in you.”
  —Antoinette Weibel 

• “We’re not looking so much for the brilliant minds that can tell us what the future looks like, but we are now at present looking more for people who have a passion for other people, who maybe love their employees to a certain degree, and who are showing integrity.”
  —Antoinette Weibel 

• “A good leader can make all the difference.”
  —Antoinette Weibel 

• “Learning in itself is not the problem—it’s to let go a little bit of control.”
  —Antoinette Weibel 

• “I think it’s essential for building trust that you’re also able to listen.”
  —Antoinette Weibel 

• “Who has given us the right to create suffering machines?”
  —Antoinette Weibel 

Connect:

Find | Sidewalk Talk 
At sidewalk-talk.org
On Instagram: @sidewalktalkorg
On Twitter: @sidewalktalkorg

Find | Traci Ruble
At Traciruble.com
On Instagram: @TraciRubleMFT
On Twitter: @TraciRubleMFT
On Facebook: @TraciRubleMFT

Find | Antoinette Weibel 
On LinkedIn: @AntoinetteWeibel 
On Twitter: @antoinetteprof
On Facebook: @Weibelcrew

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