As we dive into 2025, we’re talking a lot about public engagement and crisis management at E&V. (Hard to believe we’re already full speed ahead helping clients navigate a new year of opportunities and challenges!) But we can’t discuss effective public engagement or crisis response without focusing on one crucial element: trust.
You’ve heard the saying… trust is hard-earned and easily lost. So, why do so many companies fail to prioritize it?
While not every business experiences a catastrophic breakdown like Enron, too many still fail to grasp the critical importance of building and maintaining trust with their stakeholders. Often, they see trust as intangible or secondary — something to address only when it’s threatened — rather than as a foundational asset. This reactive mindset leaves companies vulnerable. Without trust, even small issues can quickly snowball into major reputational crises, alienating key stakeholders and jeopardizing long-term success.
If your company treats trust as optional rather than the must-have it truly is, consider this my case for why 2025 is the year to make it a strategic imperative:
- Trust lies at the heart of risk mitigation. When trust is lost, so is your ability to function at your best. When it’s secure, you’re set up to thrive.
- Trust is transformative. It helps stakeholders — employees, partners, customers, and the public — support your mission and stand with you through the good and bad. When you do your part to earn and sustain it, trust evolves into loyalty, keeping stakeholders engaged and energized.
- Trust enables you to capitalize on opportunities (like launching a new initiative or entering a new market) and minimizes threats (like public backlash or operational missteps). Stakeholders are more likely to give you the benefit of the doubt when your relationship is built on authenticity and respect.
- Trust gives you the credibility to operate and, if needed, the resilience to recover.
- Imagine you’re facing opposition to a new project. Public engagement rooted in trust — transparency, two-way communication, active listening, and a willingness to adapt — can turn opposition into collaboration.
- Consider the possibilities of an organizational crisis. Trust built during calm times is a sturdy safety net when the unexpected arises. We’ve seen firsthand that clients who proactively build trust find themselves weathering storms with far less long-term impact.
- Trust is the ultimate currency in our business relationships, according to Edelman, a global PR leader who has studied trust for more than 20 years. “Lasting trust is the strongest insurance against competitive disruption, the antidote to consumer indifference, and the best path to continued growth.” Without trust, a reputation is on shaky ground.
For all these reasons and more, trust is the cornerstone of any effective communications strategy — but especially effective public engagement and crisis planning. Yet for companies unaccustomed to prioritizing trust in their communications plan, the task can seem daunting. I get that. Trust isn’t built overnight — it’s cultivated over time through a persistent commitment to the basics. Here’s a good starting point:
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- Communicate Transparently: Be open and honest. Share successes and failures with equal candor. People value honesty over perfection.
- Deliver on Promises: Align your words with actions. Consistency builds reliability.
- Engage Authentically: Listen more than you speak, and foster meaningful — not transactional — interactions.
As business executives, the choice is yours: hope for the best and treat trust as an afterthought, or make it a critical priority. At E&V, we help organizations build trust and strengthen relationships through thoughtful, strategic communications. Our efforts ensure you’re prepared not only to navigate opportunities and threats, but also to thrive in a complex, fast-moving, ever-changing world.
It’s a new year, and I encourage you to assess your trust-building approach. Are your relationships strong enough to weather the inevitable storm? Are you prepared to seize new opportunities and leverage them to the fullest? Is your reputation on solid ground? If your answer is no, let’s talk!
