Leading with Intent: How Trust Powers Long-Term Success in Energy
Why Trust and Integrity Matter More Than Ever in Energy
“Leading with intent” was the central takeaway from a professional development session I attended a few years back. The session was led by Josh McGhee, a respected trainer and colleague at NRECA, and his message was both simple and profound: if people don’t believe you have their best interests at heart, they will stop listening, no matter how strong your data or how polished your message.
In other words, credibility precedes communication. Without trust, even the most carefully crafted message falls on deaf ears. That insight has stuck with me because it applies just as powerfully to organizations as it does to individuals, especially in today’s climate of institutional skepticism.
Trust Is the Foundation of Organizational Success
Trust and integrity are harder to earn, and easier to lose, than ever. Public confidence in institutions is stagnant or declining, misinformation is common, and audiences are increasingly discerning about who they believe and why. The Edelman Trust Barometer, which has examined trust across government, business, and society for more than 25 years, consistently reinforces this truth. Edelman’s research shows that an organization’s success or failure is defined by trust in its mission and leadership. In recent findings, Edelman emphasizes that trust is built not through rhetoric alone, but when organizations demonstrate:
- Competence — the ability to deliver results reliably
- Ethics — decisions grounded in fairness and integrity
- Responsibility — accountability to stakeholders and communities
Consumers are Looking to Trusted Brands for Stability
A recent Edelman study on brands notes that:
In an environment of economic pain, geopolitical turbulence, and cultural upheaval, consumers are looking to trusted brands for stability in their lives.”
In essence, high trust organizations distinguish themselves by aligning words with actions. Their missions are more than a website catchphrase. High-trust organizations focus on outcomes that create real, local impact; communicate transparently when decisions are complex or uncertain; and maintain consistency between stated values and day to day behavior. Over time, that consistency becomes credibility. Notably, Edelman observes that “trust has gone local.” People increasingly place confidence in organizations they can see, relate to, and hold accountable.
Electric Co ops Start with a Trust Advantage
That shift carries significant implications for the energy industry and is particularly relevant for electric cooperatives, as they are uniquely positioned in this environment. By design, electric co ops are local organizations with deep roots in the communities they serve. The co-op mission is service, not shareholder profit.
That structural difference matters. It reinforces credibility and institutional integrity in ways that for profit utilities often struggle to replicate. Co ops have a fundamentally different business model, and electric co-ops measure success not by quarterly earnings, but by how effectively they provide reliable, affordable power and help their communities thrive. Moreover, when consumer-members pay their monthly utility bills, the money stays in the local economy, and excess revenues are returned to them through capital credits. In an era when trust must be earned locally, co ops begin with an inherent advantage.
Trust Is an Operational Imperative in Energy
In the energy industry, trust is especially critical. It is not just a branding consideration or a long term aspiration; it is an operational necessity. That’s because utilities are often required to communicate life saving information during emergencies, severe weather events, and prolonged outages. In those moments, public trust directly affects safety outcomes.
But even outside of crisis situations, the utility industry is facing unprecedented complexity. Rapid technological change, the growth of AI and data centers, widespread electrification, grid modernization, and evolving regulatory and financial pressures are reshaping how utilities plan, invest, and operate. Meeting these challenges will require creative thinking, ambitious projects, substantial capital investment, long-term horizons, and tough trade-offs. Communities will rightly want to understand how decisions are being made, how resources and costs are allocated, and how benefits are shared. This is where trust becomes vital.
A community that believes its utility is acting in its best interests is far more likely to engage constructively, to support dialogue rather than confrontation, and collaboration rather than conflict. Without that trust, even necessary and well intentioned projects can stall or fail.
Leading with Integrity Enables Hard Conversations
Chellie Phillips, Vice President of Communications and Public Relations at Coweta-Fayette EMC, an electric co-op in Palmetto, Ga., understands this dynamic firsthand. A communications professional who speaks about corporate culture and trust often emphasizes that:
Trust is one of the most valuable strategic assets an energy provider has, but it’s built through the signals an organization sends every day, both internally and externally. Electric cooperatives begin with a unique advantage because we live and work in the communities we serve. But that trust isn’t automatic; it starts inside the organization. When employees believe in their leaders, understand the mission, and see integrity in action, they carry that forward in every interaction with every member. Organizational integrity is what ensures alignment between what we say and what we do, and as expectations for the energy industry continue to grow, that alignment is what allows trust to hold when it’s tested most.”
The Bottom Line
In today’s fraught environment, trust is fragile, and it must be continually earned. As the energy industry navigates the increasing complexity, growing electricity demand, and rising expectations, utilities will need more than technical solutions. They will need the confidence and backing of the communities they serve. Organizations that lead with transparency and clear intent are far better positioned to navigate this low trust era. Consumers aren’t expecting perfection, but they do expect and deserve honesty and openness, even when that means delivering hard truths.
