Trust and Inspire Book Club/ Summary + Leadership Takeaways

We just finished another meeting of the quarterly book club we do with the leaders of our inspection company, Pro-spect. We discussed Trust and Inspire by Stephen M. R. Covey. His website describes the book like this:
 

“Trust & Inspire is a new way of leading. It starts with the belief that people are creative, collaborative, and full of potential. People with this kind of leadership are inspired to become the best version of themselves and to produce their best work. People don’t want to be managed; they want to be led.”

If that resonates with you, read on for our takeaways and favorite quotes!

Perspective is Everything

“A good intention, with a bad approach, often leads to a poor result.”
~Thomas Edison

A fascinating story from the book is about a leadership team from a large Fortune 50 company. The senior leaders were asked to rate themselves on the level of care they had for their employees. 99% rated themselves at the highest level of caring. When employees were asked to rate the level they felt their leaders cared about them, they averaged 31%. I have a feeling that would be a pretty common result, not because leaders don’t care, but because when the pressure’s on, it’s hard to slow down and really see the people around you and express your appreciation. 

Journal prompt: Who can I check in with today on what’s going on in their life and thank for their hard work?

Manage Things, Lead People

“We live in a world that is overmanaged and underled.”
~Stephen M. R. Covey

A foundational principle in becoming a Trust and Inspire leader is learning the difference in how managing and leading look and feel. Managing people the same way you manage schedules, finances, technology, etc, feels dehumanizing and controlling. This approach takes out of consideration that people are more than just a resource, they are whole people with a body, heart, mind, and spirit. Although it might seem effective, in the end you’ll never get the creativity, passion, and productivity out of a person you treat like an object. 

Journal prompt: Are there any ways I’m managing people instead of leading them? 

Go First

“Enduring influence is created from the inside out…so my job as a leader is to go first.”
~ Stephen M. R. Covey

It’s a principle that’s often shared in parenting: Let your kids see you doing the things you want them to do. Why? Because example shapes behavior far more powerfully than instruction alone. The same holds true in business. Teams don’t just follow words—they follow character, consistency, and action. If I want a culture of accountability, I have to model it. If I want innovation, I need to take creative risks myself. Influence that lasts doesn’t come from control; it comes from credibility and that starts with us as leaders. 

Journal prompt: What’s one thing I’d like to see in my team that I can start modeling today?

Be Authentic

“People will forgive leaders for not being as good as they should be, but they won’t forgive them for not being as good as they claim to be.” ~Diane Sawyer

One of our executives brought up a challenging quote from the book that says you can’t be a Trust and Inspire leader if you aren’t living that out in all areas of your life. Being truly authentic means being who you are wherever you are. Working to align your public life, private life, and inner life strengthens your integrity, authenticity, and credibility. 

Journal prompt: What is one way I can show my authentic self today? 

 Fast is Slow and Slow is Fast

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” ~Helen Keller

• Fast is slow: When leaders try to move too quickly with people—rushing decisions, skipping conversations, or pushing for short-term results without building trust, it often backfires. Misunderstandings, resistance, rework, and disengagement creep in. What seemed "efficient" becomes inefficient.
  
  
• Slow is fast: When leaders take the time to build real trust, listen well, understand motivations, and develop clarity and alignment, it may feel slower at first. But this investment pays off. People become more committed, communication becomes smoother, and execution becomes faster because you're working with trust.
  
  

It’s a reminder that relationships aren’t a detour from results—they’re the path to results. In a Trust & Inspire model of leadership, this principle is key to creating a culture where people thrive and perform at their best.

Journal prompt: Where could slowing down with someone today actually speed things up in the long run?

If you’ve read Trust and Inspire, we’d love to hear about your favorite takeaways! If you haven’t read it yet, but would like to, consider purchasing using our affiliate link: Trust and Inspire

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