Why We Teach Social Leadership: Building Trust at EU Business School

Raj Hayer
4 days ago
5 min read

Every year, our CEO and founder, Raj Hayer, has the privilege of donating her time to teach at the EU Business School. As someone who works every day with global executives through TinyBox Academy, she knows that even senior leaders, despite their titles, are still figuring out how to lead in a world shaped by transparency, visibility, and evolving expectations.

That’s why she speaks with the students about the currency of trust. Because in today’s digital-first world, leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room; it’s about being the most authentic.

And trust? Trust is the ROI of authenticity.

The Currency of Trust

What does trust mean in a leadership context? We often think of it in terms of integrity, competence, and reliability. But when it comes to real influence, whether on LinkedIn, in the boardroom, or leading teams, trust is built on transparency.

The world of leadership has shifted; today, your fans and your critics are all online. And they’re watching not just what you say, but how you show up.

When she opens her talk at the EU Business School, she asks a simple question: Do you trust me?

She argues that she is on a stage after all, she has a microphone, doesn’t that naturally assume authority and embody the fact that you can trust her?

Of course not. Trust isn’t automatic. We all make snap judgments based on what’s available: LinkedIn profiles, Instagram reels, shared posts, and our silent assumptions. And yet, this is the playing field of today’s leaders.

Social leadership is the ability to lead in public, online and offline, with authenticity, integrity, and alignment between your values and your voice. It’s not just about building a “personal brand”; it’s about building personal trust that scales.

And if you're not in the conversation, you're still part of the narrative. Silence speaks too.

The Social Leadership Model

Social Leadership is about how you understand yourself, represent your values clearly, and communicate in ways that others can trust. It helps you increase influence and use your position to build sustainable, meaningful results. This is where trust becomes action. But more than that, it is about inspiring innovation, primarily by harnessing your influence to unlock creativity, collaboration, and inclusion across your teams.

Social Leadership, at its core, breaks down into three simple but powerful ideas:

Social Representation

What do you value? What do you stand for?

Values-based leadership isn’t a soft skill; it’s a business imperative. According to Edelman’s 2023 Trust Barometer:

60% of employees choose a workplace that aligns with their values
64% of investors make decisions based on a company’s beliefs
58% of consumers buy or boycott brands based on them

Trust is transactional, and values are the currency.

A great example is Dan Price, former CEO of Gravity Payments, who famously slashed his $1.1 million salary to raise his employees’ minimum wage to $70,000. The result? Turnover dropped 50%, revenue tripled over six years, and employee loyalty skyrocketed. He showed the world what he stood for, and they believed him.

Social Responsibility

Do your actions reflect your values in ways that positively impact others?

We live in a world where silence is complicated. Customers, employees, and investors expect leaders to take a stand.

62% of employees want CEOs to speak out on social and political issues.
81% believe leadership should be visible and accessible.

Patagonia famously told its customers not to buy unless they truly needed a new jacket. It was a bold message, don’t shop for the sake of it, but it aligned perfectly with their environmental stance and they lived their message.

Contrast that with Volkswagen, whose sustainability claims were undermined by a major emissions scandal in 2015. Or Siemens, whose failure to address a customer's public complaint went viral and damaged its credibility.

The lesson? Don’t just say it. Live it. Because the truth will come out anyway.

Social Participation

Are you present and visible in the conversations that matter?

Social participation is now a leadership expectation. People don’t just want to know what your company does; they want to know who leads it, and why.

Dropbox is a great example. The company’s LinkedIn page regularly shares employee stories, volunteer projects, diversity updates, and leadership perspectives. Their CEO, Drew Houston, contributes actively to the conversation. They don’t just promote features, they promote culture.

The result? Their people are brand ambassadors. They attract aligned talent, retain it, and create a powerful flywheel of engagement. Why? Because leadership shows up, and shows who they are. When leaders understand these simple ideas and take time to define them, they begin to lead in ways that feel personal and powerful.

The Human Input Behind the AI Output

It’s tempting to think of AI and digital transformation as abstract, technical problems, but in reality, they are deeply human ones. As Mo Gawdat, author of Scary Smart, notes: “We are the parents of AI.” The data we feed it, what we like, share, post, or ignore, teaches it what we value.

That’s why every voice matters, your voice matters.

Especially if you are someone who isn’t typically heard in these spaces. Social media can be noisy, yes, but it’s also a lever. It can elevate voices, empower movements, and drive systemic change. But only if we show up.

Social leadership isn’t just a personal growth tool; it’s the foundation for inclusive innovation.

Years ago, I ran a diagnostic for a company that assumed an introverted sales rep “wasn’t a team player” because he skipped social events. Turns out, he was their top performer and had the longest client retention. The issue? He was different. And his difference was his strength.

Innovation happens when every voice is included, not just the loudest ones.

Research supports this:

Diverse sales teams show 45% greater growth in market share (Harvard Business Review)
60% of sales leaders link increased revenue to inclusive team cultures (Forrester)

Inclusive leadership isn’t just about fairness, it’s about performance and ROI.

As she reminded the students:

It’s easy to assume social leadership is about “building a brand”, but it’s really about building belonging.

About helping others see what matters to you, what you stand for, and why they can trust you.

Whether you’re applying for a job, launching a company, or leading change from within, your story matters. Your presence matters. And the way you show up, online and offline, can shape culture, teams, and futures.

Thank you to the EU Business School for welcoming us to your community. It is an honour to contribute and to witness the next generation of leaders finding their voice.

“Every Voice Matters” book and tools coming soon in partnership with Rethink Publishers.

References:

Edelman: Trust Barometer, 2023
Harvard Business Review: "How Diverse Sales Teams Close More Deals"
Forrester Research: "The ROI of Inclusive Leadership"
Mo Gawdat: Scary Smart: The Future of Artificial Intelligence and How You Can Save Our World