Author Interview

Building High Trust CommUNITY examines the contributing factors that have led to mistrust in America’s leaders and the growing divide between the people of the nation and proposes what must be done to resolve the situation. Why was this an important book for you to write?

We have observed the widespread mistrust and divides, which are all around us and so frequently described in the media. We talk about those divides in the book. It was important for us to write about specific approaches to making progress, to rebuilding trust, to bridging divides whether at an individual level or working on larger problems. We have evidence trust can be built with intentional efforts and we want to broadly share this good news.

What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?

The first important idea is that it is a myth that there is nothing we can do to build trust. In fact, everything we do contributes to trust or distrust. We can intentionally move from a distrusting to a trusting environment. It takes work but it brings out the best in all of us.

Did you find anything in your research of this book that surprised you?

We were surprised and pleased by the number of people who want to change and contribute to building a more trusting environment—more trusting socially, more trusting politically. Individuals we interviewed for the book, regardless of their backgrounds or political preferences, expressed genuine interest in bridging the divides that have led to negative polarization and the lack of problem-solving so characteristic of our present times.

What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your book?

We hope readers will believe in possibilities; we hope they will believe they can make personal differences in their lives and the lives of the individuals around them. We hope they will believe in positive change and that trust is the bedrock of that change.