Leadership and trust in strategy implementation

A case study at Syngenta Brasil

Abstract

Purpose: to explore how leaders influence the creation of trust during a strategy implementation process; Methodology: we employed a descriptive and qualitative method, based on a single case study; Originality: our research attempts to contribute by deepening knowledge on leadership and trust, particularly in contexts linked to processes of strategy implementation; Findings: we found a set of elements grouped in two dimensions that favor the creation of trust and the exercise of leadership: integrity and complicity; Academic contributions: our findings potentially provide new elements for the development of relationships between leaders and followers in organizations. Likewise, it brings new insights for understanding organizational dynamics favorable to building trust among individuals; Managerial contributions: by revealing the central role of leadership and trust for implementation, this research proposes that managers should direct their strategic processes in favor of interpersonal factors, naturally subjective and intangible.