Leadership in crisis: Why trust and empathy are critical to employee engagement

Tim Cordon, COO, Middle East, Africa & Southeast Asia Pacific, Radisson Hotel Group

As we head into 2026, closing this gap has become a strategic priority. Trust is not restored through slogans or one-off initiatives; it is built through consistent behaviours that people experience every day. This set of principles has shaped my approach to leadership across multiple cultures, markets, and teams.

• Start with why: Low engagement stems from leadership focused solely on targets. Purpose-driven teams perform better. When people link their job to a clear mission - like creating jobs or family memories - the team moves from being pushed to self-motivated momentum.

• Ego kills trust: Leadership is about the team, not the leader. When you make it about you, trust evaporates. When people feel supported, they deliver more than you ask for.

• People over process: Don't get lost in dashboards. Every decision impacts a person. Asking "who does this serve?" keeps you grounded and builds a culture of clarity.

• Localise leadership: There is no global “one size fits all”. What works in one region may fail in another. I set the standards, then let local talent adapt the details. This creates authenticity and efficiency.

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• Rest is a responsibility: A tired leader makes bad choices. You cannot separate work performance from life balance. I prioritise recharging so my team gets a resilient leader, not a reactive one.

• Honesty builds safety: Respectful honesty beats polite vagueness every time. To combat the global trust deficit, we must be transparent. This builds the safety teams need to innovate.

• Own the blame, share the fame: I take responsibility when we fail; the team gets the credit when we win. This eliminates fear and encourages the team to aim higher.

Leadership in 2026 will be defined by those who create environments where people feel informed, supported, and confident in the organisation’s direction. The potential impact is enormous - Gallup estimates that a fully engaged global workforce could add $9.6tn to the global economy.

The question leaders must ask is simple: Are we creating the conditions where people can do their best work and trust the path ahead? When the answer is yes, performance follows naturally.