#85 - Before It Breaks: How Leaders Build and Repair Trust

Trust is not simply a leadership quality. It is the infrastructure supporting everything else in an organization.

In this episode of The Clear Voice, James Groom and James Hopper are joined by Dr. Gearl Loden, superintendent of Nixa Public Schools, executive coach, and author of Before It Breaks: The Seven Pillars of Trust Every Leader Must Build.

Gearl explains how trust erodes through small inconsistencies, unresolved conversations, unclear expectations, and promises that are never closed. He introduces his seven pillars of trust: character, consistency, communication, competence, care, clarity, and courage.

The conversation also explores the warning signs of “trust drift,” why silence should not be mistaken for trust, and how Gearl’s 72-hour repair protocol can prevent minor concerns from becoming organizational fractures. He offers practical guidance for new leaders, executives working with governing boards, and anyone attempting to rebuild trust after it has been damaged.

Gearl also shares lessons from more than three decades in education, including why competence alone is not enough, how leaders can better understand the people they serve, and what an old hunting beagle taught him about leadership: everything is not a rabbit.

Chapters:

00:00 A clean slate and the courage to enter the arena 00:28 Introduction 01:34 Meet Dr. Gearl Loden 02:52 Gearl’s path from struggling student to superintendent 06:44 Why Gearl wrote Before It Breaks 08:39 Understanding people without lowering expectations 10:41 Trust is infrastructure 12:19 The seven pillars of trust 18:11 Why competence is no longer enough 20:14 Recognizing the signs of trust drift 23:21 When leaders mistake compliance for trust 24:39 The 72-hour repair protocol 28:19 How to begin a trust-repair conversation 30:37 Building trust during your first 90 days 34:59 Navigating factions, silos, and energy vampires 36:50 Building trust with boards and governing bodies 42:53 Trust, transparency, and social media 46:08 Everything is not a rabbit 49:48 Rebuilding trust after it breaks 51:53 Gearl’s book and leadership resources 55:24 Gearl’s final advice for leaders

Connect with Dr. Gearl Loden:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gearl-loden-lodenleadership/ Website: https://lodenleadership.com

Get the book:

Before It Breaks: The Seven Pillars of Trust Every Leader Must Build https://amzn.to/3TEe4UM

Workbook:

https://masterclass.lodenleadership.com/resource

Code: CHANGINGTIMES2026

Purchase 540 Leadership by Michael Boese: https://amzn.to/4h43L3U The views and opinions expressed on The Clear Voice do not necessarily reflect those of Clear Career Professionals. The discussion of any company, product, or service is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement. Connect With Clear Career Professionals

Clear Career Professionals is a Texas based municipal executive search firm specializing in City Manager search services, municipal executive search, and local government leadership consulting for cities and counties across Texas and the United States.

Clear works with communities to recruit City Managers, City Administrators, Assistant City Managers, Police Chiefs, Fire Chiefs, Finance Directors, HR Directors, and other senior municipal leaders. In addition to executive search services, Clear provides local government leadership training, organizational assessments, executive coaching, interim leadership placements, and strategic consulting designed to strengthen city organizations and support effective public service leadership.

Clear partners with city councils, county commissioners, and public sector leadership teams seeking experienced municipal professionals who can guide growing communities, manage complex organizations, and deliver strong public service outcomes.

Career Opportunities https://clearcareerpro.com/career-opportunities

LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/company/clear-career-pro Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.