Saber Coaching

Every team says they want more trust, but no one takes the time to define it.

When I work with leaders, co-founders, and teams, I often use a simple equation for reflection from The Trusted Advisor.

Trustworthiness equals credibility plus reliability plus intimacy, divided by self-interest.

Most leaders score themselves high on credibility and reliability. They've earned the title, they deliver on what they say, and that's how they got the role in the first place.

The growth edge is almost always the other two:

🔹 Intimacy, the willingness to be real, to share something honest, to let people see you

🔹 Self-interest, the part of the equation that quietly divides everything above it when it runs too high

As pre-work, I have leaders reflect on how trustworthy they are and identify one to two actions they could take to grow it.

Then I break them into duos and have them share, one at a time, while the other listens without interruption.

The tone softens. Peers start telling each other real things, like "you're a tough grader," or "I heard something I didn't expect today."

Self-awareness plus intimacy starts to move people closer. They quietly change their own behavior, and that undefinable thing called trust starts to grow.

Which part of the trust equation is the biggest growth edge for you right now? Share your thoughts in the comments 👇

Image credit: The Trusted Advisor

What if a good day only required doing three things?

If your habits feel like a light switch, all on or all off, both can be exhausting.

Start by writing all your daily shoulds: reading, exercise, eating healthy, pushups, seeing friends. The list will be huge.

Then commit to doing three a day. More is fine, all is impossible.

Mark each day on the calendar and aim to create an unbreakable chain.

What three shoulds would you commit to this week? Drop your list in the comments 👇

Most leadership conflicts aren't actually about who is right. They're about two opposing forces, both with real merit, where picking one side means losing the value of the other.

Picture two co-founders. One is the freedom guy. He wants exploration, test and learn, fly first class. The other is the structure guy. He wants clarity, frameworks, fly economy. So who's right?

Neither, and that's the point.

The lazy executives pick a side. The great ones slow the conversation down and walk through both, one at a time.

What are the benefits of freedom? What is the risk if we have too much of it?

What are the benefits of high structure? What is the risk if we have too much of it?

Once leaders look at the best of both, the conflict settles. The pressure to choose disappears, and the team gets back to growing.

When you treat paradox as a choice, someone wins and someone loses. When you treat it as a tension to manage, the whole team wins.

If you've been stuck in a stalemate with a peer or co-leader, the question isn't who wins. It's what does the best of both look like.

What's a paradox showing up in your organization right now? Share your thoughts in the comments below 👇

That not-ready feeling isn't always a glitch in your confidence, sometimes it's accurate data about your environment.

Check three things:

1. Are you in an ultra-competitive, up-or-out culture

2. Is there an absence of role models or weak onboarding

3. Is there a lack of representation and you're the only

If the answer is yes, the issue might not be you at all.

Have you ever realized it was the room, not you? Share your thoughts in the comments below 👇