The trust deficit in change programmes

Trust is the currency of change. And I note that most programmes run out of it far too quickly.

Imagine this… You walk into the town hall. The company’s CEO is on stage, speaking with conviction: We are empowering teams. We are becoming agile. We are shaping the future together.

The slides look impressive. A new logo for the programme flashes on the screen. Applause follows. The leadership team feel energised: they have set the tone. But in the cafeteria afterwards, the conversations sound different. A middle manager mutters, I wonder how long this will last. An employee rolls her eyes:Empowerment? We still need three approvals to order a laptop.

For the project team, the first weeks are intense. Workshops are organised, posters are printed, and a roadmap is shared. On the surface, everything looks alive.

But by month three, the energy dips. People stop showing up to voluntary sessions. Leaders complain about a lack of engagement. Teams quietly go back to old routines. Not because they resist change. But because they no longer trust it.

The illusion of commitment

One of the most dangerous blind spots in change is mistaking motion for momentum. Leaders often equate visible activity with genuine belief. If the hall was full at the kick-off, the posters are up, and the programme team is busy, they feel reassured that people are “on board.” But activity is not the same as commitment. A logo does not equal belief.

From the top, it looks like progress:

• A launch event with high attendance.
• A branded initiative with its own logo.
• A project team is working long hours.

But employees notice different things:

• The moment leaders talk about empowerment but still micromanage decisions.
• The moment their input is collected but never acted upon.
• The moment the glossy programme promises collide with unchanged behaviour.

This is the illusion of commitment. Leaders see motion and interpret it as momentum. Employees see inconsistency and interpret it as performance. And here is the real danger: once people sense theatre, they disengage quietly. They keep smiling in the meetings, but their energy is gone. And when energy leaves the room, the programme starts to hollow out from within.

Why trust leaks away

Trust rarely disappears overnight. It erodes drip by drip, in a series of small contradictions that accumulate into cynicism. Rarely will an employee say: I don’t trust this programme anymore. Instead, you will see smaller signs: cameras off in meetings, silence in workshops, no hands raised when leaders ask for input. These are not acts of resistance. They are signs of doubt.

The danger is not one dramatic betrayal, but the slow accumulation of signals that tell people: This is not real. When these signals pile up, people do not openly rebel; they quietly withdraw. They conserve their energy for tasks they know will matter. And little by little, the programme loses its heartbeat.

Over the years, I have seen the same five trust leaks appear again and again:

1. Promises without proof: Leaders talk about empowerment, but their choices often get stuck in red tape. Employees quickly discover that autonomy is often a phantom or mirage. Each approval request highlights a false promise of freedom. It basically reminds them that reality often falls short of words.
2. Participation without power: Organisations host workshops and listening sessions. Employees give their time and ideas. But when they see no decisions shift, no behaviour change, they stop contributing. Participation without power is worse than no participation at all. It feels like theatre.
3. Purpose without practice: Leaders craft inspiring strategies and declare lofty values. But when employees see leaders chasing quick wins or managers celebrating single successes, trust breaks down. Purpose devolves into mere slogans, losing its role as a guiding star.
4. Metrics without meaning: Programmes chase KPIs and milestones disconnected from what matters to people or customers. Teams hit targets but feel no sense of progress. Employees know when numbers are being gamed and when success is being measured in outputs instead of outcomes.
5. Change without rhythm: Initiatives are launched in bursts, then fade. One month, we champion Agile; the next, it’s all about digital. Then comes diversity, only to circle back to cost savings. Without a steady rhythm, change roars like chaotic waves rather than rolling in like a gentle tide. People grow weary, not adaptive.

These leaks may seem small in isolation. But together, they drain energy until belief collapses. And when belief collapses, even the best-designed change cannot take root. Leaders who ignore trust end up battling issues like resistance, disengagement, and burnout. They focus on symptoms instead of tackling the root cause. The leaks are not cosmetic; they strike at the foundation of transformation itself.

What trust makes possible

When trust is present, change has a completely different texture. Imagine two organisations running the same change.

In the first, employees doubt leadership’s intentions. They attend meetings but hold back their real views. They follow new processes but keep their energy in reserve. Leaders push harder, but every push meets quiet resistance.

In the second, employees embrace change like a fresh breeze. They share ideas, even the daring ones. Managers shift gears from enforcing rules to empowering minds. Leaders discover they needn’t push; people start to flow alongside them.

The difference is not the programme design. It is the presence of trust.

Trust changes compliance into commitment, suspicion into curiosity, fear into ownership. It is not soft. It is structural. It is the invisible infrastructure that carries transformation.

Plugging the leaks

So, is there a silver lining waiting to be discovered? Maybe it is good to realise that trust can rise like a phoenix from ashes. But this rebirth isn’t built on catchy slogans or fleeting workshops. It requires genuine effort and heartfelt commitment. Only then can trust transform and flourish anew. It comes from a steady flow of connection. When words and actions work together, it happens again and again. Rebuilding trust isn’t a big show; it’s about the small, clear choices that tell employees: this time, it’s really different.

Here are some of the shifts I work on with leadership teams:

• Show proof of promises: Empowerment only exists when leaders visibly step back. For example, stop approving every detail of a budget. Give teams authority over part of their resources and let them see the impact of their choices.
• Give power to participation: When employees share ideas, promise to bring at least one to life. Make an announcement, showcase the result, and celebrate the victory. Even the smallest win proves that their voices can shape the future.
• Practice your purpose: Link every major decision back to the mission. At Roche Diagnostics for example, every Obeya wall connected priorities to patient outcomes. That anchor turned lofty purpose into daily practice.
• Measure what matters: Swap output KPIs for outcome indicators. Instead of counting workshops delivered, measure whether collaboration has improved. Instead of tracking deliverables, track value created.
• Create rhythm: Establish steady cadences of reflection, review, and change. Rhythm makes change safe. People often know exactly when to expect updates, voice concerns, and celebrate progress.

Plugging the leaks takes discipline. Leaders need to avoid flashy campaigns for quick wins. Instead, they should display consistent behaviours that employees see as genuine. Over time, these repeated acts refill the trust reservoir. The programme no longer runs on borrowed time. It runs on belief. And belief, once rekindled, multiplies faster than any communication plan could hope to.

A question for leaders

So here is the real test of leadership in change: Do your people trust your programme enough to give it their energy?

This is not a rhetorical question. You can see the answer in your meetings, in your corridors, in your survey data. Do employees contribute ideas spontaneously, or only when asked? Do managers feel they can let go, or do they hold tighter? Do leaders acknowledge missteps openly, or do they defend the narrative at all costs?

Trust is not a “soft” factor to be measured later. It is the single most predictive indicator of whether your change will survive its first year. When people trust, they lean in. They start to spark energy, ignite creativity, and embody resilience. Without these, you’re merely delaying the inevitable. Borrowed time always has an end.

From theatre to reality

I believe the true measure of change is not how many milestones are ticked off, but how much trust is earned along the way.

I’ve seen trust grow with many clients. It happens when leaders work with their teams, make decisions clear, and live their purpose, not just talk about it. The Twinxter Change Journey guides companies through four steps: Explore, Design, Empower, and Grow. It aims to close the trust gap at each stage. Without trust, none of it sticks.

Nature shows us the same truth. Starlings fly in murmuration not because they are controlled, but because they trust the pattern around them. Trust creates coherence without central control. In organisations, the same principle applies. When trust is present, people move together with speed and grace.

The trust deficit is real. But it is not permanent. With coherence, visibility, and courage, it can be closed. And when it is, change stops being theatre and becomes a lived reality.

So the question remains: If trust is the currency of change, are you earning it or spending it faster than you can rebuild?

Good luck!

If your journey feels stuck in rituals, reach out and let’s talk. I help organisations co-design adaptive ways of working where purpose leads, people thrive, and transformation becomes real.

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I look forward to connecting with you and collaborate to shape a thriving future for all.

Have a great day!

Alize Hofmeester

It’s my purpose to create space where everyone is able to thrive.

Human-centric. Purpose-driven. Value-based

Are you ready to change the status quo? Let’s talk accelerating change.