I've been thinking about feedback lately. As long as the feedback is positive, leaders are open to providing it. The difficulty is the delivery of negative feedback. When leaders find themselves in this situation, they become uncomfortable.

How often have you been burned by a business or personal relationship? I'll bet it happens more often than you want to admit. Research says that you do, as our levels of trust have been on the decline since the 1960s. The 2013 Edelman Trust Barometer ranks trust in financial services at 46 per cent, with advisors ranking the lowest in this sector.

It is frequently said that people do business with people they know, like and trust. But how do you build that trust? From a business perspective, time is money and so there is a price tag attached to that lack of trust. Building your credibility is how you create trust.

Our research, conducted in Canada and the United States with select Fortune 500 companies and government agencies, indicates that of more than 150 mid- to senior-level staff surveyed and interviewed, less than 11 per cent of employees agree that they learn from company executives. Why is that?

Trust at the board level is necessary at three intersection points: board and CEO, board member to board member, and CEO to C-suite. Why does trust matter? Think about the transactional costs of a low-trust relationship. In low trust relationships, suspicion abounds and parties feel compelled to paper every decision and every discussion. What can boards and executives do about this? Here is some advice.

OTTAWA - A new survey suggests baby boomers have one more career move in them before they retire — they want to run their own business first.The TD ...

It has all come to where we are today: Loss of confidence, loss of trust, and staggering market losses. This is the time for transparency, authentic conversation, honesty and humility. Those who display this behaviour have a chance to slowly regain the shattered trust of their customers. Straight talk. Honest talk. Committed talk. No spin. No rationalization. The industry messed up, and the public wants to hear the truth.

Finding the right coach can mean the difference between not only loving your business/career/sport or not. It can mean the difference between success and failure. The wrong coach can take your aspirations and crush them. The right coach can take your doubts and lead you to victory. Here are some tips for you to think about when considering hiring a coach.

When agreements are not formally in writing, it is all too easy for one party to manipulate the situation, claiming ignorance when you know full well that is not the case. But there is nothing you can do, except fume, or choose whether to continue the relationship and make a note to yourself not to repeat that mistake in the future.