Trust and being “worthy” – the key to creating wealth

Purpose The purposes of this paper are to present a clear model for understanding trust by integrating the diverse viewpoints in the trust literature and to explain how that model enables individuals and organizations to optimize their ability to create value and sustain competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual paper that integrates the perspectives of many widely regarded scholars and links trust with value creation in organizations. Findings The paper builds on previously established conditions essential to creating trust but suggests that trustworthiness requires an integrative quality which we call “capacity” that enables those who seek to lead to translate trust into action. That integrative quality is the key to effective execution for individuals and organizations. Originality/value Trust is widely acknowledged to be both a critical condition for successful organizations but a missing commodity in many leader-follower relationships. The paper offers insights for scholars and practitioners about the importance of leaders earning trust by being worthy of their followers’ commitment and cooperation.