Chicago OD Practitioners Network
Topic: “Trustworthiness: Ten Tools to Not Leave Trust to Chance”
Date: Friday, February 27, 2026
Location: Virtual, via Zoom
Time: 7:45-8:00 AM, CDT - networking
8:00-9:30 AM, CDT - program
Register: Send an email to CODPNetwork@gmail.com by Monday, February 23 (free program). You will receive a Zoom link the week of the program.
Program Description:
Trust is the currency of teamwork and a vital culture trait. But trust can be complex, and the word itself harbors ambiguity. This session discusses four dimensions of trustworthiness on the part of individual team members – competence, honesty, dependability, and benevolence – and presents ten templates to govern, monitor, and maximize trust within a team.
Good leaders and managers come and go. You might leave trust to communication channels of meetings and emails, but you could also institutionalize trust via templates. Templates might feel petty and administrative, and that’s the point. To quote W. Clement Stone, these templates are “small hinges that swing a large door” of a culture of trust.
Let’s have a discussion to embrace templates and trustworthiness habits that do not leave trust to chance.
Expected Outcomes:
- Reflect on which of the four dimensions of trustworthiness matter most right now
- Choose which of the ten templates you might adopt in your team – or modify to make your own!
- Calibrate how you want to govern, mentor, and micro-mentor trust through your own trustworthiness
Preparation:
- Pre-event casual reflection on trustworthiness
- Detailed reflection on four ingredients of trustworthiness: competence, honesty, dependability, and benevolence – which stands out to you?
- Reflection on how our office communication channels (meetings, email, documentation) role in establishing trust
- Reflection on conventional frameworks that shape trust
About the Program Facilitator Robert Snyder:
Robert Snyder is the founder and president of Innovation Elegance, LLC. His thirty-year career spans roles such as developer, project management, change management, sales enablement, and the performing arts. His career path includes corporate roles, consulting roles, startups, PMP, and Agile certifications. He’s performed in numerous vocal, dance, and theater ensembles. Robert earned his BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois and his MBA in Strategy from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Program Format:
Initial presentation, followed by large group & small group interactive discussions. Informal Zoom atmosphere. We ask that all participants keep their camera on during the entire program, to promote good involvement and interaction.
To register, send an email to CODPNetwork@gmail.com by Monday, February 23 (free program). You will receive a Zoom link the week of the program.
