When Alan Mulally arrived at Ford in 2006, the business was in serious trouble. Billions were being lost, market share was slipping, and pressure was high. But the biggest issue he walked into wasn’t financial. It was how the leadership team was showing up.

Mulally was an outsider. He hadn’t grown up in the car industry, and many of the leaders around the table were sceptical. In early meetings, they said very little. When asked about challenges, responses were careful and surface-level. Real issues stayed hidden.

Mulally introduced a weekly Business Plan Review. Each leader was asked to report on their area using a simple colour system. Green meant on track. Yellow meant off track but manageable. Red indicated a problem that needed attention.

On paper, everything looked fine. Week after week, the reports were almost entirely green. Yet the business continued to lose billions. Mulally quickly realised this wasn’t a reporting issue. It was a trust issue. Team members didn’t feel safe to be honest. Past experience had taught them that calling out problems came with consequences.

So rather than pushing harder, Mulally focused on building trust. He made time to connect with his leaders. He answered questions, listened carefully, and showed genuine interest in how they were experiencing the work. In meetings, he slowed things down, asked thoughtful questions, and challenged blame or avoidance when it showed up. He repeated the same message consistently. Problems were something to work on together, not something to hide.

Then one week, Mark Fields marked a major project red. The room went quiet. Everyone expected the usual fallout. Instead, Mulally thanked him for raising it and asked who could help.

That moment mattered.

Over time, more reds and yellows appeared. Team members started raising issues earlier, asking for support, and taking responsibility. Trust grew. The culture shifted. And the results followed.

Mulally’s story is a reminder that trust comes before truth. Your team members will not surface issues until they believe it’s safe to do so. Systems don’t create honesty. Leaders do.

It’s also a reminder that your team members lean in when they believe they matter. Being seen, supported, and trusted unlocks commitment and responsibility.

Showing your leaders and the people, you want to make a difference to that they matter.

A simple way to show your leaders they matter is to give them your undivided attention in your next one-on-one and really listen. Seek to understand how they’re thinking, how they’re feeling, and what’s sitting underneath the surface.

Presence and listening are powerful signals that we matter.

I trust this has been helpful and got you thinking in some way, shape or form.

Until next week, be well and lead well.

Kylie