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The CEO is now the most trusted person in the country. That was the surprising conclusion of the article—Just Lead: A CEO Call To Action.

That premise is based on a recent international survey on trust—the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer. The survey tracks a 20-year shift in trust from one of a “shared reality” to a worldview based on insularity—a reluctance to trust anyone who is different than you. But amid this crisis in trust, surprisingly (to me) at the top of the trust ladder is “my CEO”. “My employer” is now the most trusted institution in the world—topping government, media, and organized religion. And 81% of respondents believe employers have an obligation to help bridge