Courage To Change: Leaders Lean Into Trust For This Reckoning Moment
Minda Harts (L) in conversation with David Smith at the recent Power Up Conference 2026.
The common assumption in the workplace about trust is that you can’t trust the people around you. That needs to shift. Trust with colleagues, leaders, clients, associates and employees must always be on the menu.
At the recent Take The Lead’s Power Up Conference 2026, Minda Harts, best-selling author, consultant, filmmaker, equity specialist and workplace communications expert, spoke with David Smith, Professor and Co-Director of the Gender and Work Initiative at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, about what trust—and the assumption of its absence—means today.
Read more in Take The Lead on Minda Harts
“We spend 90,000 hours of our lives working,” said Harts, whose latest book, Talk To Me Nice: The Seven Trust Languages For A Better Workplace, expands on the urgency of trust. “We need more transparency and follow through from leadership.”
“We spend 90k hours of our lives working. We need more transparency and follow through from leadership.” says Minda Harts #leadership @takeleadwomen #trust”
Smith, who earned Take The Lead’s Leading Man Award in 2025, and co-author of several books including the most recent, Fair Share: How Men and Women Can Create a More Equitable Workplace Together, said, “The challenge is we send unintended messages to men that they don’t have to be engaged in equity.”
Read more in Take The Lead on Minda Harts
Smith, who with Brad Johnson co-authored the 2020, Good Guys: How Men Can Be Better Allies for Women in the Workplace, and the 2016, Athena Rising: How and Why Men Should Mentor Women, added, “They need to know how to show up as allies and what changes the workplace.” Unfortunately, when some leaders do not embrace equity, “We write them off as they are just difficult.”
Read more in Take The Lead on David Smith
In their onstage discussion, “Making the Workplace Work,” Harts and Smith offered steps, tools and practices for creating inclusive, equitable workplaces where women can lead and thrive.
Harts, an assistant professor of public service at New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, said, “That is so damaging. We can consistently set expectations higher.”
Read more in Take The Lead on trust
Known globally for her work on creating fair and equitable workplaces with trustworthy leadership. Harts added, “I value consistency. Our actions, behaviors and tones either enhance or erode trust. We have to have consistency with each other instead of cancelling each other.”
“Minda Harts, author, @NYU prof: “I value consistency. Our actions, behaviors and tones either enhance or erode trust. We have to have consistency with each other instead of cancelling each other.” #leadership”
One of the first steps to embracing trust is noting a pattern of behavior.
Unfortunately far too many patterns, practices and systems of leadership are antiquated.
“We are working in our great grandparents’ workplace,” said Smith. “The vast majority of families are living paycheck to paycheck. The workplace is organized around a single breadwinner and a stay at home mother. And the workplace is not designed to support them.”
“David Smith: “We are working in our great grandparents’ workplace. The workplace is organized around a single breadwinner and a stay at home mother.” @JohnsHopkins #leadership #equity”
Statista reports, “In 2024, there were around 15.72 million families with a female householder and no spouse present in the United States, an increase from the previous year.” The U.S. Census Bureau reports that 47% of Black mothers are single mothers, 25% of Latina mothers are single moms; 14% of white mothers are single mothers and 8% of Asian mothers are single mothers.
Read more in Take The Lead on single mothers
In the current economic and cultural climate in this country, trust in systems and leaders is eroding and disappearing. That is because consumer sentiment lacks confidence, according to a new report from USA Today.
“Americans still feel gloomy and no once-a-month economic report seems to make them happy. Since the pandemic, the economy and jobs market have recovered but consumer sentiment hasn't. Sentiment has ebbed and flowed in the last six years, but has never climbed back to pre-pandemic levels, University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index data shows. The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index also dropped in September,” USA Today reports.
“Trust is more important than it has ever been,” said Harts. “But it’s a two-way street that is good for our well-being and the bottom line. Trust begets trust.”
Harts added, “People are human first. They deserve humanity, dignity and respect.”
As a leader in the workplace, regardless of size, trust must be demonstrated and earned. Harts said, “Ask your team, what does trust look like to you? Then say, “We want to make sure we have the most harmonious workplace this year. That is because trust is a business commodity.”
“Minda Harts: “People are human first. They deserve humanity, dignity and respect.” #workplace #trust #leadership @takeleadwomen”
Beyond the workplace, trust in some leaders is nearly impossible, as so many in political positions have committed outrageous acts without accountability.
The panel, “Young, Bold & Unstoppable: No Seat at the Table? Build One,” highlighted the efforts of younger advocates, organizers, creators, and leaders who are using their voices, networks, and lived experiences to challenge systems, mobilize communities, and inspire action on the issues that matter most.
Moderated by Jamia Wilson, Vice President and Executive Editor of Penguin Random House, the panelists dove into challenges in the cultural climate that damage and erase women, people of color and younger generations.
Read more in Take The Lead on Jamia Wilson
“At this reckoning moment, all of our roles are to be stewards channeling our rage, grief and sadness,” said Cheyenne Hunt, Attorney, Advocate and Executive Director of Reckoning Action. Speaking of the reaction to the Epstein Files— but what can also be applied to the Cornell University sexual violence and inaction more recently—Hunt said, “There is profound power in our collective rage. Question what they tell you is true.”
Hunt added, “Turn this moment into a movement.”
Alice Miranda Ollstein, senior health care reporter at Politico and author of the new book Side Effects: How Abortion Bans Impact Everyone’s Health, said an environment of injustice and repealed reproductive rights “impacts all across the healthcare system” and affects the lives of women and men everywhere.
William He, Founder of Dream for America, told the audience, “I realized I wanted to see more people who are part of my generation because no one was speaking for us.” Starting Dream for America when he was 16, He said, his posts have reached 1 billion views on social media and there are now 100 college chapters.
“I wanted to see more people who are part of my generation because no one was speaking for us,” said @WilliamHe #founder @DreamForAmerica #leadership”
His motivation was “to get as many young people as possible involved in the political process.”
That process is neither simple nor intuitive. “The biggest myth is that leadership begins when someone chooses you,” he said. “Leadership is about the moment you decide there is a problem and it is your responsibility to fix it.”
“William He: “Leadership is about the moment you decide there is a problem and it is your responsibility to fix it.” @DreamForAmerica”
Read more in Take The Lead on Gen Z leaders
Joanna Faucett, Fellow with Women Connect4Good, the organization founded by Nancy D. O’Reilly, Take The Lead board member and a sponsor of the conference, said, “I am lucky to have so many women in my life who open doors for me and help me find my life’s purpose.”
Hunt explained that her efforts with Reckoning Action are at a time when so many are “espousing radical gender-based ideology. This reckoning moment is spurned by a time of survivors, now 10 years since the #MeToo movement.”
She added, “We need to invest in cultural infrastructure to stand up to this. You can make a lot of change inside the system.”
He added, “Change happens slowly, then all at once like a flood.”
According to Hunt, “Change just requires courage.”
“Cheyenne Hunt, founder @ReckoningAction: “Change just requires courage.” #leadership ”
