Simon Sinek: a trusted voice in leadership
Simon Sinek is globally recognized for his insights on leadership and inspiring others to lead with purpose. Born in England and raised in cities like Johannesburg, London, and Hong Kong, he eventually settled in the United States. After studying cultural anthropology at Brandeis University, Sinek began his career in advertising but soon pivoted to entrepreneurship.
His TED Talk, How great leaders inspire action, became a viral sensation, elevating him to one of the most influential leadership thinkers today. With bestselling books like Start With Why and The Infinite Game, Sinek continues to reshape how businesses think about leadership and culture. His core message revolves around trust, purpose, and the human side of leadership.
Performance vs. trust: the Navy SEALs’ perspective
In one of his most impactful talks, Sinek introduces a graph used by the Navy SEALs to evaluate team members. The graph compares two factors: performance and trust.
- High performance, high trust: the ideal leader.
- High performance, low trust: the most dangerous type of leader—what Sinek calls “toxic.”
- Medium or low performance, high trust: preferred over high performance with low trust.
The Navy SEALs, considered one of the most elite teams in the world, consistently choose trust over talent. This model translates directly into business environments. Organizations that favor trust-based leadership tend to build healthier teams, reduce turnover, and improve collaboration.
Why businesses must rethink leadership metrics
Too often, companies prioritize performance indicators—revenue targets, KPI’s sales goals, productivity—while overlooking intangible yet critical qualities like trust and character. The result?
Toxic leaders may excel individually but poison team culture.
Businesses need to ask:
- Is this leader fostering trust within the team?
- Do they collaborate well with others?
- Are they building a culture of safety and openness?
The truth is, trust isn’t hard to measure. Teams usually know who the toxic players are. If you ask, “Who causes the most problems?” the same name often comes up. Conversely, the most trusted person on the team might not be the top performer, but they’re usually the one others turn to for support and guidance.
Trust creates stronger, longer-lasting results
When trust is at the center of leadership, organizations benefit in countless ways:
- Higher employee retention
- Better communication
- Increased collaboration
- Stronger team morale
- Sustainable performance over time
No matter how high-performing, toxic leaders create stress, division, and instability. The short-term wins they bring aren’t worth the long-term costs.
Sinek’s message is clear: Businesses must prioritize trust and character in leadership development. Doing so protects teams and promotes innovation, loyalty, and lasting success.
Frequently asked questions
What is the trust vs. performance matrix Simon Sinek uses?
- Simon Sinek references a matrix often used by the Navy SEALs, which plots performance on one axis and trust on the other. This visual framework helps organizations evaluate team members based on their accomplishments and behavior within the team. The ideal team member scores high on trust and performance, but SEALs would rather have a trustworthy teammate than a highly skilled but untrustworthy one.
How can you build trust as a leader in a new team?
- Building trust starts with consistency, transparency, and empathy. Leaders should follow through on promises, listen actively, give credit generously, and own up to mistakes. Creating psychological safety, where team members feel comfortable speaking up, also plays a key role in developing trust.
What are some early signs of a toxic leader?
- Early red flags include micromanaging, taking credit for others’ work, gossiping, fostering competition over collaboration, and lacking accountability. Toxic leaders may also ignore feedback, blame others for failures, and operate with a “results at any cost” mindset.
How does trust impact team productivity?
- High-trust teams tend to be more collaborative, innovative, and resilient. When trust exists, teams spend less time managing conflict or protecting themselves and more time working toward shared goals. It reduces friction and enables faster, more effective decision-making.
Is there a way to quantify trust in an organization?
- While trust is inherently subjective, it can be measured through anonymous surveys, 360-degree feedback, employee engagement scores, and team health assessments. Some organizations also use trust-specific metrics, such as net trust scores or behavioral indicators.
What books by Simon Sinek explore trust in more detail?
- Trust is a recurring theme in Sinek’s work. Leaders Eat Last dives deep into how leaders can build trust and psychological safety within their teams. The Infinite Game emphasizes the importance of long-term thinking and values like integrity and transparency that build lasting trust.
