Every act of trust creates opportunity. Every opportunity creates exposure.
This is not a failure of trust. It is an inherent characteristic of how organisations operate.
Trust creates opportunities for people to contribute, make decisions, access information and perform meaningful work. Those same opportunities can be misused, abused or exploited. Organisational exposure is therefore not a consequence of trust failing. It is an inherent consequence of extending trust.
Most organisations devote considerable attention to determining who can be trusted. Far fewer regularly assess whether the opportunities created by that trust remain appropriate as roles, responsibilities and circumstances change.
Organisational exposure does not begin when trust is broken. It begins the moment trust is extended.
.webp)
The question is not whether your organisation should trust its people. The question is whether it understands the exposure that trust creates.
Questions for Leaders
Where has trust created the greatest capability within your organisation?
Does that capability still reflect today's business needs?
Where might trusted capability be creating unnecessary organisational exposure?
