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You Can’t Scale Trust
Why trust breaks down as you grow — and how great leaders rebuild it
Culture Doesn’t Copy
There’s a common belief in scaling businesses:
“Let’s take what’s working – and roll it out everywhere.”
It makes sense on paper. If one team’s flying, surely it’s a model for the rest?
But culture doesn’t copy.
✔️ You can replicate a system.
✔️ You can roll out a process.
✖️ You can’t clone trust.
And culture? → It doesn’t cascade through playbooks.
The bigger your organisation gets, the more tempting it becomes to rely on structure, process, and performance metrics to keep people aligned.
But those tools only work when they’re built on something deeper – a foundation of trust.
The kind that gives people the freedom to speak up, take risks, and stay connected through the messiness of scale.
Why Trust Gets Lost During Growth
Scaling introduces distance.
New layers of leadership.
More stakeholders. More pressure. More complexity.
Often, businesses respond by tightening control:
• More updates
• More reporting
• More policies
All in the name of alignment.
But that’s exactly when trust starts to leak.
The closeness that once held teams together is replaced by surface-level agreement, cautious communication, and growing disconnection.
As Brené Brown says:
“Trust is built in very small moments.”
And those small moments are often the first thing to disappear when growth accelerates.
Warning Signs You’re Losing Trust
It rarely shows up in your metrics – but it’s there, hiding in plain sight:
• People say “yes” in meetings, then raise concerns in private chats
• Honest feedback is avoided to keep the peace
• Decisions drag because no one wants to “step on toes”
• Teams repeat messages, but don’t believe (or act on) them
• Values are talked about at town halls, but not lived in day-to-day decisions
You don’t lose trust in one big moment.
You lose it interaction by interaction.
And when trust erodes, performance quietly follows.
The Leadership Shift That Makes All the Difference
The good news?
You don’t need another initiative.
You need to give your leaders permission to lead.
Here’s where to start:
1. Empower Local Leaders
Forget one-size-fits-all.
Give your leaders freedom within a framework – autonomy to do what’s right for their teams and customers, anchored in shared principles and clear direction.
2. Reward the Right Behaviours
Recognise the leaders who build trust – not just those who hit targets.
The best leaders create safety, stretch thinking, and bring people with them.
3. Model It at the Top
People don’t copy what you say.
They copy what you do.
Show vulnerability. Invite challenge. Be clear – but stay human.
You can’t expect trust to grow where it isn’t demonstrated.
Finally, Trust Is the Foundation
Strategy sets the direction.
But trust sets the pace.
As your organisation grows, don’t assume culture will scale alongside it.
Trust doesn’t spread by accident. It’s built – moment by moment, decision by decision.
So the real question isn’t
“How do we roll out culture?”
It’s:
“How do we lead in a way that makes trust possible everywhere we operate?”
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