Trust: The One Thing That Makes or Breaks a Leader

As a generation of baby boomers nears retirement, our country is facing a dilemma. By 2010, there may be a shortage of 4 to 6 million workers, causing a dearth of effective leaders. Nearly every recent crisis-corporate bankruptcies, political scandals, moral failures in the church-can be traced to a leadership deficit. The common denominator? Broken trust.

Author Les T. Csorba sees trust as the most indispensable force between leaders and followers. Here he offers observations gleaned from two decades of experience in government, business, church, and family. Part meditation, part how-to manual, Trust examines characteristics of trusted leadership, including The 7 Principles of the Trust. Finally, the book features interactive elements such as The Leader Check: a guide to evaluating whether you are developing the trust necessary to motivate and richly lead followers.

Les T. Csorba is a partner in Heidrick & Struggles International Inc., the world's leading executive search firm. For the last fifteen years, he has recruited leaders in both the private and public sectors, serving one U.S. President, a U.S. Senator, a Governor, as well as several CEOs and national religious leaders. He was appointed Special Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel during George H.W. Bush's administration. Csorba also serves as the President and Director of the Palmer Drug Abuse Program and is a founding board member of the Foundation for Tomorrow, an inner-city private school project. He has appeared on national television and radio programs, including The 700 Club and CNN's Daily Show. He is married with four children and resides in Houston, Texas.