Abstract

It is essential for corporate social responsibility that staff can trust its leaders. This paper argues that trust in leaders depends on the relationship between the leader’s values, words and actions. If they are in line, employees can trust the leader. If they are not, distrust prevails. Five alternative relationships between values, words and actions can be identified: values = words = actions; values = words != actions; values != words = actions; values != words != actions; and values = actions != words. They can be analysed and interpreted through the Jungian concepts of ego, persona , shadow and self. In alternative leaders’ Jungian ego has developed into a strong self. In alternative leaders’ Jungian shadow directs their ego. In alternative leaders’ Jungian persona directs their ego. In alternative leaders’ Jungian shadow has overcome their ego. In alternative leaders’ Jungian persona and shadow together direct their ego. This paper provides the rationale for and the descriptions and examples of these five alternatives, and shows how leaders can reach the ideal leadership state of values = words = actions, which makes the staff and external stakeholders trust them