Trust and Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others

“The world has changed, [but] our style of leadership has not,” argues Covey (The Speed of Trust), CEO of the consulting company CoveyLink, in this spirited appeal for managers to shift from a “command and control” leadership approach to a “trust and inspire” one. “Command and control” leaders care about results, efficiency, “barking out the orders,” and controlling people, Covey writes. “Trust and inspire” leaders, meanwhile, also value results, but they achieve them by inspiring their employees’ creativity and developing their potential. Covey makes a strong case that “trust and inspire” leadership helps retain more employees, fosters their best work, and improves the company’s finances. He also offers reflection questions to help leaders work through common obstacles to trusting and inspiring others, including fears of losing control, not getting results, and working with employees who seem untrustworthy. Covey acknowledges that these “leadership basics” aren’t novel, but points out that though many leaders talk about inspiring and trusting, few actually do. Readers will appreciate his positive spin: “Anyone can be this kind of leader. Everyone needs this kind of leader.” The result is a solid reminder that if leaders continue prioritizing “getting results” over building relationships, they’ll do neither. (Apr.)