Recent Trust Commentaries

Featured image for “Chuck Williams’ Moment of Mutual Trust”
Chuck Williams’ Moment of Mutual Trust
Author/businessman Chuck Williams’ recent death reminded me of a conversation I had with him in February 1999. I thought it fitting to honor his work by reprinting his contribution to my book, “What Do You Stand For?” After enjoying good food and friends for years, Chuck Williams went to France to experience the food and culture, returning with the idea...
Read More
December 22, 2015
Featured image for “Bright Spot”
Bright Spot
Before leaving on summer vacation, I thought I’d leave on a high note. While the majority of Congress has been stuck in perpetual partisan gridlock, it might surprise you to know that there are a group of Senators who are getting things done and… they’re all women. Chief among them are Senators Claire McCaskill, Amy Klobuchar, Kelly Ayotte and Shelley...
Read More
July 31, 2015
Featured image for “Sweet Deal”
Sweet Deal
You would think that after being appointed a United States Supreme Court justice – a position held for life, mind you – that you would be fairly comfortable, even content. However, it might surprise you to learn that along with having a lifetime job, a parking space, invitations to things like special dinners, the State of the Union address, there...
Read More
July 8, 2015
Featured image for “Deflategate Redux”
Deflategate Redux
Since the ignominy of Richard Nixon’s attempt to bug Democratic headquarters at the Watergate hotel in 1972, the media likes to christen any high-profile scandal with the suffix “gate.” The simple fact is that the deflation of footballs can’t compare to the pervasive illegality of President Nixon’s actions that led to his resignation. Nevertheless, Steve Ambra’s ethics class was tasked...
Read More
June 17, 2015
Featured image for “What is Ethical Leadership?”
What is Ethical Leadership?
In light of all the recent ethics scandals, what’s needed most today is authentic leadership – individuals who demonstrate, by example, how to make a difference for the betterment of all. U.S. Army Lieutenant General (Ret.) Hal Moore represents one such leader. In 1965, then-Lieutenant Colonel Moore led his vastly outnumbered troops in the first major battle of the war...
Read More
May 26, 2015
Featured image for “Доверяй, но проверяй”
Доверяй, но проверяй
Susanne Massie, a writer on Russia, counseled President Ronald Reagan regarding his relations with the Soviet Union. “The Russians like to talk in proverbs,” Massie told him. “It would be nice of you to know a few.” Consequently, the Russian proverb “Доверяй, но проверяй,” (trust but verify) became a signature line used by Reagan. It’s a phrase that’s been used...
Read More
May 20, 2015
Featured image for “Drilling Deeper”
Drilling Deeper
The political blog Think Progress reported (Apr. 1), “In March alone, 111 people died during police encounters… As in the past, numerous incidents were spurred by violent threats from suspects, and two officers were shot in Ferguson during a peaceful protest. However, the deaths follow a national pattern: suspects were mostly people of color, mentally ill, or both.” With misconduct...
Read More
May 11, 2015
Featured image for “How Safe is Your Data?”
How Safe is Your Data?
On January 5th, I opened The New York Times and read the following: “In mid-December, a posting appeared on the Internet site Pastebin offering six million account records, including passwords and login data for clients of Morgan Stanley. “Two weeks later, a new posting on the information-sharing site offered a teaser of actual records from 1,200 accounts, and provided a...
Read More
March 30, 2015
Featured image for “The Ethical Take”
The Ethical Take
With all the fuss surrounding the optical illusion about “that dress,” the Take offers its own spin. In the disillusion pictured, do you see a clown or House Speaker John Boehner? Answer: Actually the clown represents the “self-righteous, delusional” wing of the Republican Party, as described by Republican Peter King. The New York Times reported (Mar. 1), that “King, who...
Read More
March 2, 2015
Featured image for “The 1914 Christmas Truce”
The 1914 Christmas Truce
With the recent shootings of two police officers in New York, the Eric Garner and Michael Brown protests , the Sony “hack,” the continued terrorist threats by the self-styled “Guardians of Peace,” and ISIS, Dr. Robert Sapolsky, a professor of biology, neurology and neurosurgery at Stanford University, finds meaning in a Christmas gesture made 100 years ago. The front page...
Read More
December 22, 2014

Read Some of the Most Recent Articles
The Latest... And Often Greatest