“I was wrong.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you think?”
“How can I help you perform at your best?”
When a leader is willing to say any—or all—of these phrases, you can almost guarantee one thing: they’re trustworthy. And in leadership, trust isn’t a soft skill—it’s the foundation of performance, culture, and long-term success.
A 2022 PwC Global Workforce Survey found that only 30% of employees strongly trust their leadership. That means 70% of the workforce may be questioning the authenticity, credibility, or intentions of those leading them. But why is trust so elusive?
Often, it comes down to ego. Traditional leadership has celebrated strength as certainty, positioning vulnerability as weakness. But modern leadership demands something more human—and far more courageous.
Saying “I was wrong” demonstrates accountability and humility. Leaders who own their mistakes build psychological safety, which Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson describes as the key ingredient to innovation and team learning. Her research shows that teams with high psychological safety are up to 35% more productive.
Saying “I’m sorry” is a repair act—it humanises a leader and restores connection. Apologies done right increase empathy and reduce conflict, and according to the Journal of Applied Psychology, leaders who apologise are more likely to be seen as fair, empathetic, and credible.
“I don’t know” invites others in. It signals intellectual humility and opens space for collaboration. A study published in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes showed that leaders who express uncertainty and invite input increase group decision-making accuracy by up to 25%.
Asking “What do you think?” is the ultimate act of inclusion. It values team input and promotes ownership. And when employees feel their voices matter, engagement increases by over 20%, according to Gallup.
Finally, “How can I help you perform at your best?” shifts the leader’s role from commander to enabler. It builds trust, accountability, and clarity—all essential for sustainable performance.
These five statements aren’t just good leadership habits—they are trust accelerators. And in a world where employees crave authenticity and connection, they may be the most powerful tools a leader can use.
