The TRUST Success Model: How Leaders Build Culture, Autonomy, and Team Performance | Ep. 100 ft. Ken Sher

"Trust isn't a soft skill, it's the foundation of great relationships, and great relationships are the key to success." In this episode of Leadership in Quarters, host Josh Seldin sits down with executive coach, keynote speaker, and author Ken Sher to explore how leaders can build authentic trust, transform organizational culture, and drive peak team performance. Drawing from 30 years of experience developing leaders at Johnson & Johnson and Bristol Myers Squibb, Ken breaks down his actionable TRUST Success Model. He reveals why transparency in chaotic times builds unshakeable credibility, how to satisfy core human psychological needs, and why autonomy is the ultimate demonstration of executive trust. In this deep dive into modern organizational health, you'll discover: ✅ The TRUST Success Model: A practical 5-part framework—Transparency, Results, Understanding, Simplicity, and Teams—to elevate leadership performance. ✅ Soft Skill vs. Core Foundation: Why trust drives tangible business outcomes despite being hard to measure. ✅ Leading Through Uncertainty: How being vulnerable and transparent during high-stakes disruption builds team buy-in. ✅ Self-Determination Theory in Action: Supporting the 3 basic human needs—Autonomy, Relatedness, and Competence—to eliminate micromanagement. ✅ Spotting Trust in Hiring: How to evaluate EQ, self-awareness, and cultural fit during executive interviews. ✅ High-Trust Organizational Markers: What healthy, autonomous, and high-performing teams look like from the inside out. TIMESTAMPS & CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Introduction: Welcome Ken Sher to Leadership in Quarters 01:10 - What is the TRUST Success Model? Lessons from Johnson & Johnson 02:50 - Is Trust Really a "Soft Skill"? Measuring Its Business Impact 04:15 - Transparency in Crisis: Communicating When You Don't Have All the Answers 07:10 - Ego, Vulnerability, and Building Real Credibility as a Leader 08:25 - The Breakdown of the TRUST Acronym: Results, Understanding, Simplicity, Teams 10:45 - Autonomy vs. Micromanagement: Giving Teams Room to Execute 12:00 - Self-Determination Theory: Meeting the 3 Core Human Needs at Work 14:35 - What a High-Trust Culture Looks Like from the Outside 17:00 - Constructive Conflict: Why Healthy Teams Challenge Ideas 18:20 - Hiring for Trust: Uncovering EQ and Authenticity in Interviews 20:15 - Final Takeaways & How to Connect with Ken Sher 🔗 Connect with Ken Sher: Website: https://www.kensher.com/ Book: What's Trust Got to Do With It?: Transforming Leadership, Culture, and the Job Search LinkedIn:   / kensher   Facebook:   / shercoaching   IG:   / shercoaching   📬 Contact Josh: [email protected] 📱 Follow Leadership in Quarters: @leadinquarters on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok Artwork: Adam Powell #KenSher #TRUSTSuccessModel #LeadershipDevelopment #WorkplaceCulture #ExecutiveCoaching #AutonomyInLeadership #JoshSeldin #LeadershipInQuarters #YourGrowthAscent