The Trust Triangle in Action: How One Local Leader Used Values to Defuse Conflict and Strengthen Community

Leadership isn’t always a keynote speech or a quarterly plan. Sometimes it’s a shouting match on your lawn. Sometimes it’s standing still while someone screams in your face—and choosing not to yell back.

In our coaching work at Values-Driven Achievement, we talk a lot about the Trust Triangle—a simple yet powerful model for building durable trust in leadership. It’s based on three anchors: Competence, Character, and Common Purpose.

Today, I want to share a real (but anonymized) case of a municipal leader who lived the Trust Triangle—under pressure, in public, and with the well-being of his family and town on the line.

And he didn’t just navigate the situation. He modelled a values-driven response that every leader can learn from.

The Crisis

A local political agitator known for aggressive, polarizing behaviour showed up at this leader’s home, shouting accusations and trying to provoke a confrontation. His spouse was present and visibly shaken. The incident was short, loud, and left deep emotional marks.

Now, this could’ve gone sideways. But instead of reacting in kind, the leader stayed grounded. And then he got to work—quietly, steadily, strategically.

This is what trust in action looks like.

Step One: Competence – Act with Calm Precision

The first move wasn’t emotional. It was procedural. This leader contacted law enforcement. Filed reports. Involved legal support. Made sure a protection order was underway.

Internally, he sent a short, clear message to his staff—acknowledging the incident, affirming that support was in place, and confirming that operations would continue as normal.

This is what we mean when we talk about values as decision fuel—a theme we cover in “You Haven’t Been Using Values Properly”. When you know what you stand for, you don’t waste energy flailing. You act, calmly and effectively.

Step Two: Character – Show Restraint, Not Rage

It’s one thing to talk about character. It’s another to live it out while someone is trying to humiliate you in public.

This leader didn’t retaliate. He didn’t hop on social media or issue a press release. He checked in on his spouse. Connected her to local counselling. Encouraged other residents who had experienced similar harassment to document and report it. Quietly, people started stepping forward.

As I wrote in “Responsibility Ethic”, values aren't just ideals—they’re practiced commitments. When leaders take responsibility for their responses (even under fire), they reveal their true character. And that’s when people start to follow.

Step Three: Common Purpose – Lead the Bigger Conversation

The turning point came when he asked a better question.

Not “How do I stop this guy?” but:

“What kind of town do we want to live in?”

He began sharing the story—not publicly, but through trusted conversations. He didn’t spin the narrative. He let people draw their own conclusions. Slowly, the incident became more than one man’s story. It became a community mirror.

This is what I explore in “Why Values Matter in Your Leadership”: common purpose is what transforms a moment into a movement. When we lead with a shared future in mind, we invite others into the vision.

Real Values. Real Impact.

This isn’t a thought experiment. This is the day-to-day reality of local leadership.

This leader didn’t build trust by being flashy. He did it by being consistent. Strategic. And true to his values—even when fear, anger, and chaos knocked on his door.

He lived the Trust Triangle. And in doing so, reminded his team, his family, and his community that real leadership is defined not by comfort, but by character under pressure.

Takeaway

Want to lead like this? Start with these questions:

If your answers feel shaky, that’s okay. Values are like muscles. You can build them—if you train.

And if you want to explore that training, start with our ViDA course or browse the full Values-Driven Achievement blog. We’ve got tools, insights, and stories that’ll help you build a leadership practice rooted in something that actually lasts.

Trust isn’t built in your best moments. It’s built in your hardest ones.

Ready to build? Let’s go.

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Adam Kreek founded ViDA to positively impact organizational cultures and leaders who make things happen.

Kreek is an Executive Business Coach who lives in Victoria, BC, near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and Seattle, Washington, USA, in the Pacific Northwest. He works with clients globally, often travelling to California in the San Francisco Bay Area, Atlanta, Georgia, Toronto, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec. He is an Olympic Gold Medalist, a storied adventurer and a father.

He authored the bestselling business book, The Responsibility Ethic: 12 Strategies Exceptional People Use to Do the Work and Make Success Happen. 

Discover our thoughts on Values here.

Want to increase your leadership achievement? Learn more about ViDA Executive Business Coaching here.

Want to book a keynote that leaves a lasting impact? Learn more about Kreek’s live event service here.

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