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Trust isn’t a value—it’s a privilege. And when leaders demand it instead of earning it, what they’re asking for is compliance, not connection.
Some organizations love to say “trust is one of our core values.” But here’s the truth: trust isn’t a value—it’s a privilege. It has to be earned. It has to be honored. And when it’s demanded instead of demonstrated, it becomes a weapon.
In this episode, therapist and former crisis leader Nikki Hensler Gordon unpacks how trust is often used as a performance metric, a loyalty test, or a silencer—especially in toxic workplaces, helping professions, and hierarchical systems. She explores how language like “we’re a family” or “we value transparency” can be used to gaslight, isolate, or punish anyone who challenges the narrative.
We’ll talk about:
This one’s for anyone who’s been told to trust a system that didn’t earn it—and then blamed when they got hurt.
Send us a text
Trust isn’t a value—it’s a privilege. And when leaders demand it instead of earning it, what they’re asking for is compliance, not connection.
Some organizations love to say “trust is one of our core values.” But here’s the truth: trust isn’t a value—it’s a privilege. It has to be earned. It has to be honored. And when it’s demanded instead of demonstrated, it becomes a weapon.
In this episode, therapist and former crisis leader Nikki Hensler Gordon unpacks how trust is often used as a performance metric, a loyalty test, or a silencer—especially in toxic workplaces, helping professions, and hierarchical systems. She explores how language like “we’re a family” or “we value transparency” can be used to gaslight, isolate, or punish anyone who challenges the narrative.
We’ll talk about:
This one’s for anyone who’s been told to trust a system that didn’t earn it—and then blamed when they got hurt.