Who Do Your Stakeholders Trust?

The Edelman Trust Barometer has been released, and I am always intrigued by the findings, as they have implications for grassroots influence professionals.

A change in the findings from past years is a decrease the trust people place in “people like me.”

Here is Dr. Kelton Rhoads’ take on that finding:

“One could guess that in a time of crisis, people turn back to established authorities. I read it as ‘I’m less confident in my own understanding (and friends’) of reality, and in crisis I am looking toward established authorities.’ I think there’s a general pressure toward the veneration of authorities during a crisis, and the subsequent sacking of them if they don’t produce, unless they can consolidate power before the push-back.”

What do you think?