Building Trust in High-Stakes Business

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fiwy_O1dXn8

Trust is both a currency and a safeguard. Few leaders understand this reality better than Alex Van Zijl, Founding Partner of InterAtlas Chemical, who recently joined the Canadians Leading with Impact podcast to share his hard-won insights on building trust when the stakes are high and the path forward is anything but clear.

Leading with Clarity and Conviction

Alex’s journey is proof that leadership isn’t just about having the right answers - it’s about showing up with clarity and conviction, even when those answers aren’t obvious. In industries like chemicals, where decisions can have far-reaching consequences for people, partners, and communities, leaders are constantly called to make high-impact choices with incomplete information. Alex emphasizes that in these moments, leaders must anchor themselves in their core values and communicate those values consistently. When your team sees that you are guided by a clear purpose, they’re more likely to trust your decisions - even when those decisions are tough.

Trust: The Foundation of Sustainable Success

Trust isn’t built overnight, and it certainly isn’t built by accident. Alex describes trust as a product of repeated, reliable actions - showing up, following through, and being transparent about what you know and what you don’t. In high-stakes environments, trust is what allows teams to move quickly, innovate, and recover from setbacks. It’s also what enables leaders to forge strong partnerships - with employees, customers, and suppliers alike. Alex’s experience at InterAtlas Chemical underscores that when trust is present, business relationships become more resilient and opportunities for collaboration multiply.

Decision-Making Under Pressure

One of the most challenging aspects of leadership is making decisions when the data is incomplete, and the pressure is real. Alex shares that in these moments, leaders must balance strategic thinking with a willingness to act. Waiting for perfect information is a luxury most leaders can’t afford. Instead, Alex advocates for gathering input, weighing risks honestly, and then moving forward with confidence. Importantly, he notes that transparency about the decision-making process builds credibility - people don’t expect perfection, but they do expect honesty and accountability.

Communication, Integrity, and Relationships

Throughout the conversation, Alex returns to a core theme: sustainable business success is built on communication, integrity, and relationships. In a world where trust can be eroded by a single misstep, leaders must be vigilant about how they communicate - especially in moments of uncertainty. Alex advises leaders to over-communicate when stakes are high: share what you know, acknowledge what you don’t, and invite questions. This openness not only builds trust but also empowers teams to surface risks and opportunities that might otherwise be missed.

Integrity, for Alex, means doing what you say you’ll do - even when no one is watching. He believes that leaders who model integrity set the tone for the entire organization, creating a culture where people feel safe to speak up, take initiative, and support one another.

Balancing Strategy and Human Connection

Perhaps the most compelling insight from Alex’s interview is the importance of balancing strategic thinking with genuine human connection. In high-stakes business, it’s easy to get caught up in numbers, targets, and deliverables. But Alex reminds us that people - employees, customers, partners - are at the heart of every decision. Leaders who take the time to listen, understand, and connect on a human level build loyalty that lasts far beyond any single transaction.

Turning Insight into Action

Alex Van Zijl’s story is a powerful reminder that leadership is as much about mindset as it is about tactics. Building trust, making tough calls, and creating long-term impact aren’t just skills - they’re habits, cultivated through self-awareness, reflection, and a commitment to growth.

If you’re inspired by these ideas, consider how you can bring more clarity, trust, and integrity into your own leadership conversations. Whether you’re leading a team, building a business, or navigating your own career, remember: in high-stakes environments, trust isn’t just a nice-to-have - it’s a must-have for sustainable success.

Want to develop your leadership skills further? Check out the Lead with Impact experience for tools, coaching, and support to put these principles into practice.