Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1542 - When Authority Breaks: Leadership After Trust Collapses

On this episode of The Brian Crombie Radio Hour, Brian Crombie steps away from markets and geopolitics to examine something just as urgent: leadership — and the collapse of trust. Brian is joined by Laura Darrell, people strategist, leadership development expert, and writer whose recent essays have resonated across organizations and institutions. Laura poses a difficult but necessary question: Why does leadership feel so brittle right now — and why does coercion no longer work? In this thoughtful and candid conversation, they explore:

• Why trust in institutions has failed to recover since the pandemic
• How coercive leadership styles eroded legitimacy — even when policies appeared to “work”
• The difference between manufactured division and healthy disagreement
• Why polite workplaces can still be deeply unproductive
• What leadership looks like when authority must be earned, not assumed
• Why vulnerability, curiosity, and collaboration are no longer optional

Laura argues that leadership hasn’t failed because people became difficult — but because outdated models no longer fit the moment we’re in. This episode is a timely conversation about trust, authority, courage, and what leadership looks like when compliance stops working.