August 2025 Leader Letter
Be That Trustworthy Glass of Water
Transparency and vulnerability look good on you as a leader.
What do you and clear aqua have in common? If you’re a good leader, transparency should come to mind.
Transparency in leadership, a theme gaining in popularity, builds trust, which can positively influence your people’s performance and team dynamics. In a 2022 online survey of 7,000 global employees, the Edelman Trust Barometer found that when employees trust their employers, good things happen, including pumping up their desire to stay with the organization and improve it.
Open communication fosters a culture of honest dialogue, feedback, and problem-solving, rather than defaulting to the blame game. Sprinkle it with some genuine vulnerability and you could connect to your team like never before. Perhaps you might even inspire a new generation of leaders.
Reflect on these suggestions for honing transparency and vulnerability naturally; use them in your professional role and/or share them with other Toastmasters leaders:
Develop your trust muscle—Take on an assignment that scares you a little, something you’re not proficient in or confident about. Ask for feedback from teammates or other leaders you admire. Assess the outcomes of your actions and share it! Then, after evaluating your successes and setbacks, get ready to do it again with even more courage and team input.
Get louder—Communication experts say they teach leaders to speak deliberately—even uncomfortably—louder. The result, they say, is that it inspires trust because the speaker is seen as more energetic, knowledgeable, and committed. The louder voice within you is seen as the real voice within you. One that is confident and not trying to hide anything.
Embrace authenticity—As much as possible when talking to your team, use your own words, acknowledge imperfections, and share appropriate personal stories to illustrate your points. Focus on presenting ideas, not performing them.
Ask the tough questions privately—Avoid asking challenging, potentially shaming, or skeptical questions like, "Do we have enough money in the budget for this?" or “How did you come up with that?” Admired leaders don't put team members on the spot; they find the appropriate time and place for tough questions.
Keep learning—Remain curious. Keep learning. Welcome regular feedback.
Above all—Follow through on promises and don’t make them if you aren’t sure you can keep them. Communicate often and as early as possible if things are about to change.
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