Lessons Learned from Five Years of Writing on Trust, Leadership, and Tech
Five years ago, I began submitting articles to this publication. At the time, I could not have predicted that the number published would grow to nearly 50, or that the issues I was writing about would evolve as they have.
When I started, my focus was largely on trust, accountability, and independent industry self-regulation. Those themes remain central today. But over time, the conversation expanded – first into emerging technologies and eventually into artificial intelligence (AI), where questions of trust, governance, and leadership now converge at unprecedented speed in a deregulatory environment further enabled by a post-Loper Bright world. And my views on leadership have evolved as I morphed from a long-time for-profit leader to a mission-based nonprofit CEO in the current environment.
I will touch on three main themes I have covered throughout the years and how I have seen them evolve.
Whether discussing advertising practices, privacy cross-border models, consumer protection, or emerging technologies, I have repeatedly emphasized that accountability and transparency are prerequisites for public confidence. Industry self-regulation (which I will dive into further below) has been a recurring focus precisely because it offers a practical way to strengthen trust – by setting standards, resolving disputes, and addressing problems before they escalate into crises.
Today, trust is on shaky ground. Rapid technological change, the rise of misinformation, cultural shifts in the workplace, and the unpredictability of increasingly complex supply chains have raised the stakes for businesses, trade associations, and nonprofits alike. In this environment, trust is not built through promises alone, but through demonstrable systems of accountability. And accountability comes from leadership, which is more critical than ever when information is imperfect.
In an article a few months ago, I explored the reality that leaders rarely have perfect information. What matters most in those moments is decisiveness guided by values, sound judgment, and an understanding of long-term consequences.
That challenge has only intensified. Change cycles are faster, reputational risks travel instantly, and leaders are increasingly expected to act in real time. The margin for hesitation has narrowed, but the need for principled decision-making has never been greater.
As a business executive who transitioned to the nonprofit sector, I embrace purpose-driven leadership as a way to maximize organizational and human capital potential and still believe that mentorship and sponsorship are extremely helpful in shaping careers and growing leaders. But what I have also come to realize is that nonprofit leadership is about more than just purpose; it is also about leading with a strategic mindset, with trust being a key component of strategic nonprofit leadership.
Over the years, I have written about how voluntary accountability mechanisms can accelerate innovation while reinforcing compliance, even in highly regulated sectors. When done well, self-regulation helps industries respond more quickly to emerging risks, close gaps before regulation catches up, and provide tested models that work in practice.
Our organization, BBB National Programs, has served as a living case study for this approach. From advertising accountability to privacy and dispute resolution, our organization’s work reinforces a simple point: voluntary accountability, when credible, can strengthen public confidence and improve outcomes for consumers and businesses alike.
When I began writing, AI was still a peripheral topic for many in leadership. Today, it sits at the center of conversations about trust, governance, and leadership. I still like the joke that as a CEO you are obligated to say “AI” every 15 minutes in a Board meeting or you will lose your CEO membership card. In recent columns, including ”Moving Responsibly at Machine Speed,” I have examined how AI accelerates decision-making while simultaneously increasing the burden of accountability on leaders.
The emergence of agentic AI raises new governance questions such as: “How can we govern it without stifling innovation?” and “Who is accountable when decisions are made?” These are issues I have only begun to explore, and they will demand attention in the future.
AI has reshaped not only strategic decision-making but also leadership trust. It forces organizations to confront questions about transparency, oversight, and responsibility in ways few technologies ever have.
First, how quickly AI surpassed even optimistic expectations. Second, how frequently leaders across industries now seek guidance on governance, ethics, and self-regulatory structures. And third, how rapidly academic research around industry self-regulation has accelerated, which is beginning to address a gap I once wrote about as a compelling need.
These developments suggest that accountability is not a constraint on innovation but a condition for success and that balanced “soft law” mechanisms – flexible, adaptive systems of accountability – have the potential to play a bigger role in solving marketplace problems.
Taken together, these writings reflect that leadership is a key catalyst, with trust being the foundation. Industry self-regulation is a mechanism to build on that foundation, and emerging technology, especially agentic AI, is where these principles are tested – even when the path is unclear.
I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as a thought leader, and I look forward to continuing to engage in a broad conversation about trust, leadership, technology, and the future of the marketplace. The goal remains the same: enhancing leadership trust in a time of accelerating change. And the mission – to lead thoughtfully and act responsibly – endures.
When I started, my focus was largely on trust, accountability, and independent industry self-regulation. Those themes remain central today. But over time, the conversation expanded – first into emerging technologies and eventually into artificial intelligence (AI), where questions of trust, governance, and leadership now converge at unprecedented speed in a deregulatory environment further enabled by a post-Loper Bright world. And my views on leadership have evolved as I morphed from a long-time for-profit leader to a mission-based nonprofit CEO in the current environment.
I will touch on three main themes I have covered throughout the years and how I have seen them evolve.
Theme #1: Trust
Looking back, what stands out most is why the constant of leadership trust matters now more than ever. Across every article I have shared, one idea has remained consistent: Trust is not optional. A healthy marketplace depends on it. As I wrote here nearly two years ago, trust is essential to success in business.Whether discussing advertising practices, privacy cross-border models, consumer protection, or emerging technologies, I have repeatedly emphasized that accountability and transparency are prerequisites for public confidence. Industry self-regulation (which I will dive into further below) has been a recurring focus precisely because it offers a practical way to strengthen trust – by setting standards, resolving disputes, and addressing problems before they escalate into crises.
Today, trust is on shaky ground. Rapid technological change, the rise of misinformation, cultural shifts in the workplace, and the unpredictability of increasingly complex supply chains have raised the stakes for businesses, trade associations, and nonprofits alike. In this environment, trust is not built through promises alone, but through demonstrable systems of accountability. And accountability comes from leadership, which is more critical than ever when information is imperfect.
In an article a few months ago, I explored the reality that leaders rarely have perfect information. What matters most in those moments is decisiveness guided by values, sound judgment, and an understanding of long-term consequences.
That challenge has only intensified. Change cycles are faster, reputational risks travel instantly, and leaders are increasingly expected to act in real time. The margin for hesitation has narrowed, but the need for principled decision-making has never been greater.
As a business executive who transitioned to the nonprofit sector, I embrace purpose-driven leadership as a way to maximize organizational and human capital potential and still believe that mentorship and sponsorship are extremely helpful in shaping careers and growing leaders. But what I have also come to realize is that nonprofit leadership is about more than just purpose; it is also about leading with a strategic mindset, with trust being a key component of strategic nonprofit leadership.
Theme #2: Industry Self-Regulation
Another consistent theme has been the role of self-regulation as a complement, not an alternative, to government oversight.Over the years, I have written about how voluntary accountability mechanisms can accelerate innovation while reinforcing compliance, even in highly regulated sectors. When done well, self-regulation helps industries respond more quickly to emerging risks, close gaps before regulation catches up, and provide tested models that work in practice.
Our organization, BBB National Programs, has served as a living case study for this approach. From advertising accountability to privacy and dispute resolution, our organization’s work reinforces a simple point: voluntary accountability, when credible, can strengthen public confidence and improve outcomes for consumers and businesses alike.
Theme #3: Fast-Moving Technologies Like AI
A dramatic shift during these five years has been the rise of AI.When I began writing, AI was still a peripheral topic for many in leadership. Today, it sits at the center of conversations about trust, governance, and leadership. I still like the joke that as a CEO you are obligated to say “AI” every 15 minutes in a Board meeting or you will lose your CEO membership card. In recent columns, including ”Moving Responsibly at Machine Speed,” I have examined how AI accelerates decision-making while simultaneously increasing the burden of accountability on leaders.
The emergence of agentic AI raises new governance questions such as: “How can we govern it without stifling innovation?” and “Who is accountable when decisions are made?” These are issues I have only begun to explore, and they will demand attention in the future.
AI has reshaped not only strategic decision-making but also leadership trust. It forces organizations to confront questions about transparency, oversight, and responsibility in ways few technologies ever have.
They Are All Related
In 2026, these elements are inseparable. Trust cannot be sustained without effective governance. Governance fails without leadership. And leadership is now exercised in environments shaped by powerful, fast-moving technologies.What Has Surprised Me Over the Past Five Years
I must admit that a few things have surprised me over these five years.First, how quickly AI surpassed even optimistic expectations. Second, how frequently leaders across industries now seek guidance on governance, ethics, and self-regulatory structures. And third, how rapidly academic research around industry self-regulation has accelerated, which is beginning to address a gap I once wrote about as a compelling need.
These developments suggest that accountability is not a constraint on innovation but a condition for success and that balanced “soft law” mechanisms – flexible, adaptive systems of accountability – have the potential to play a bigger role in solving marketplace problems.
Taken together, these writings reflect that leadership is a key catalyst, with trust being the foundation. Industry self-regulation is a mechanism to build on that foundation, and emerging technology, especially agentic AI, is where these principles are tested – even when the path is unclear.
I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as a thought leader, and I look forward to continuing to engage in a broad conversation about trust, leadership, technology, and the future of the marketplace. The goal remains the same: enhancing leadership trust in a time of accelerating change. And the mission – to lead thoughtfully and act responsibly – endures.