The speaker is correct in that first impressions matter. He states that new leaders should be ‘slowly and carefully tested’ before receiving full trust. When evaluating a new leader, his first actions in office may give an indication of his potential for trustworthiness. However, before a new leader is entrusted with the trust of others, his history should be considered

This does not mean that every action performed by a new leader, even in the private sector, should be scrutinized. For example, if a new CEO is hired to a company that is performing well, he may not possess the necessary history to prove that he is trustworthy. However, when a company is experiencing difficulties, the new CEO should consider making changes that will benefit the company, such as cutting costs, streamlining operations, or hiring new workers. The failure to take such action may be an indication of a lack of trust, but presenting a plan to create a new product may be a more promising approach. A CEO who does not act on such plans may be hiding a secret agenda. Belief in the abilities of others may be demonstrated by actions that, on the surface, contradict that belief. If a new leader is resistant to the advice of more experienced employees, he may be attempting to suppress that advice, rather than acting in the best interest of the company

If a new leader in the private sector is hired to a business that is floundering, he may be able to restore the company’s fortunes. His actions, however, should not include firing the management team, as this may cause the company to lose talented employees. Instead, the new leader should examine the reasons for the company’s problems, and consider using existing resources to create plans to combat those problems. The leader should solicit ideas and input from as many employees as possible. If he receives criticism, he should consider the wisdom of that criticism, and incorporate it into his plan. Sometimes, the best way to restore a company’s fortunes is to hire a new management team. The new management team may lack the experience of the previous managers, but they may have fresh ideas that the previous managers may have overlooked. The new management team should be given sufficient time to show results before the previous leaders are dismissed

When a new leader is appointed to a position in the public sector, such as government, his history should be examined carefully. If he has misled other citizens in the past, he may be unable to justify his actions when faced with a new challenge. The actions of a new government should be carefully examined. If the new leader is prosecuting criminals, he may be abusing his power. If the newly-appointed leader is enforcing laws or implementing policies that are unpopular, he may have been influenced by special interest groups. The public should be given an opportunity to voice their concerns before the new leader makes policy changes. If he has ensured votes from special interest groups, he may be using the new position to further his own agenda

The speaker’s claim that ‘in business, education, and government, it is always appropriate to remain skeptical of new leaders until those leaders show that they are worthy of trust’ is correct to an extent. New leaders should demonstrate trustworthiness before receiving full trust. However, it is important to consider the new leader’s history when analyzing his potential.