The recent write up my business partner, Dan Cooper lobbed out there entitled “All Entrepreneurs Are Liars,” hurt, didn’t it? I talked to a handful of entrepreneurs who bristled when they first read that headline, but after reading it enjoyed the insight, challenge, and perspective it offered.

That article reignited a question I’ve been pondering.

Would you follow you?

I love this question! I hate this question! To be honest, it hurts. Most days I think I’m a leader worth following, but do my actions support it?

Recently we hosted a leadership workshop featuring Byron Emmert with the Trust Edge Leadership Institute. The teachings he shared from the Institute are captured in the best-selling book entitled The Trust Edge. The Trust Edge quickly made my top-five leadership books and I’m a raving fan of the book’s author, David Horsager. If you ever get a chance to hear David or Byron speak, don’t miss the opportunity. I met and spent time with him at the Berkshire-Hathaway annual shareholders event this past summer where he was a featured presenter.

The premise of their work is that your organization’s #1 expense is a lack of trust. While the Institute has the empirical data and research to support that statement, in the eight years I’ve been working with business owners and CEOs, I would fully concur that this is the absolute truth.

Whether it’s a lack of clarity, incompetence, a lack of commitment, tolerating inappropriate conduct/behavior, poor communication, a lack of appreciation, gratitude and compassion, unethical practices, miss-leading information (or lack of information), finger-pointing, inconsistent messaging, anger and rage, etc., a lack of trust IS you’re #1 expense.

Emmert unpacked the “eight pillars” of trust with our Acumen community. There were so many fantastic nuggets of insight and wisdom that were actionable ways to increase and enhance trust organizationally.

Would you follow you?

Would I follow me?

I underlined and circled this rhetorical and convicting question. It was part of this section relating to the pillar of character. Do I possess the character qualities that are worth following? Who am I really behind the scenes, and is that aligned with how I show up for my team and those I lead?