Why Trust Matters in Leadership – Reflections from Glasgow Book Launch

The Launch of Working with Trust

Thursday 26 March in Glasgow was a very special afternoon for me.

Not because it was a book launch in the traditional sense, but because of what it represented.

There was a real warmth in the room. People chatting, laughing, reconnecting, meeting for the first time. The sound of glasses clinking, conversations building, and that lovely sense of energy you only get when people are genuinely enjoying being together.

And as I stood there, taking it all in, I found myself thinking about where this book actually began.

Where This Book Really Came From

This book didn’t start as a strategy or a plan.

It started with a conversation.

My late husband, Duncan Arrand, was one of the best natural leaders I have ever known. He led at a senior level in the construction industry, all over the world, and what always stood out to me was how easily he built genuine relationships with people.

At one point, I asked him a simple question.

What do you think is the most important quality a leader can have?

He didn’t hesitate. He said, “trust.”

And the more I reflected on that over time, the more I realised how right he was.

How This Book Helped Me

I began writing Working with Trust in the last few months of Duncan’s life.

Even then, we were still trying to keep life as normal as possible. I loved talking things through with Duncan and for hime to challenge my ideas and stretch my thinking. 

Some of the foundations of the book came from those conversations.

There’s one moment I’ll always remember Sitting together, sharing a wee bottle of champagne, sketching out the early ideas of what this book could become.

And when he was gone, continuing to write it gave me strength and something to focus on.

It gave me energy and a reason to keep going and to step back into my life, one step at a time.

So when I say this book matters to me, it’s not just professionally.

It’s deeply personal.

Back to the Room

And that’s why the launch felt the way it did.

Because it wasn’t about presenting something polished or perfect. It was about people.

People sharing stories about their work, their teams, the pressures they’re under, and the conversations they’re navigating every day. There was honesty in the room, and a lot of laughter too, which I always think tells you everything you need to know about how comfortable people feel.

And when people feel comfortable, they speak more openly. They listen more. They connect more easily.

Because they are trusting the people they are with.

Why This Still Matters

Over the years, working closely with leaders, coaches and business owners, I’ve seen this again and again.

Trust isn’t built in big, dramatic moments.

It’s built in the small things.

How conversations are finished.
Whether people follow through.
How clearly things are communicated.
And whether people feel listened to or simply managed.

These moments are easy to overlook. Yet they are exactly where trust is either built or lost.

What This Means for You

If you’re leading a team, working with clients, or running your own business, this doesn’t need to become complicated.

It starts with paying a bit more attention to what’s already happening.

How you show up in your conversations.
How clear you really are.
Whether you follow through on what you say.
And how well you’re actually listening.

Because people don’t experience trust because of what you intend. They experience it through what you do.

Final Thought

Standing in that room in Glasgow, surrounded by people who care about doing their work well and leading well, I was reminded of something very simple.

This book may have started with one word. But that word carries a lot of weight.

Trust.

And in many ways, everything in leadership comes back to that. And if you’re reading this, there will be moments in your own leadership where this matters too - often in the small, everyday conversations that are easy to overlook, yet make the biggest difference.

If this resonates, you’ll find plenty of simple ways to apply it in your own leadership inside the book.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Working with Trust about?
It’s a practical leadership book focused on how trust is built and experienced in everyday workplace interactions.

Who is the book for?
Leaders, managers, coaches and business professionals who want to improve communication and build stronger working relationships.

Do I need any background in NLP to understand it?
No. The ideas are simple, clear and easy to apply in real situations.

How is this different from other leadership books?
It focuses on what actually happens in conversations and everyday behaviour, making it practical rather than theoretical.

Where can I get Working with Trust?
You can find it on Amazon — just search Working with Trust.

What is one simple way to start building trust straight away?
Begin by paying attention to how you communicate, how clearly you agree actions and whether you follow through consistently.