Progress Does Not Move at the Speed of Data. It Moves at the Speed of Trust.

Why effective decisions depend on empathy as much as evidence.

I was in a recent conversation about a discontinued service. Those responsible explained that the data showed limited use and that the decision to stop providing it was difficult but necessary. According to the service provider I spoke with, the group impacted by the decision did not even want to see the data.

I kept thinking about that moment. The team had the data, but the people affected didn’t even want to see it. It reminded me that when trust is missing, even the truth can feel threatening.

It also brought back something a senior administrator once told me: “To get to resolution, use fact-based logic and eliminate emotion.” That approach might work in some settings, but it would not have worked in the situation above. When emotions are high and trust is fragile, leading only with data closes minds instead of opening dialogue. And when people are impacted by a decision but not part of the decision-making process, resistance is often less about the outcome and more about the lack of inclusion.

Both moments reminded me of a principle that has guided my leadership and life: progress moves at the speed of trust.

Data helps inform decisions, but trust determines whether people will believe it, accept it, or act on it. Even the most accurate data loses power when relationships are weak. When people trust the intent behind the numbers, data becomes a bridge. When they do not, it becomes a wall.

That is why I believe in being data-informed, not data-driven. Data-informed leadership uses evidence to guide decisions while still honoring context, people, and judgment. Data-driven leadership can easily slip into making numbers the destination rather than the tool. Without trust and empathy, being data-driven risks turning decision-making into a mechanical exercise instead of a human one.

The Limits of Facts Without Trust

Facts matter. They ground decisions, provide accountability, and support responsible action. But facts alone rarely move people. When trust is missing, even accurate data feels cold or dismissive. People do not resist numbers. They resist feeling unseen or unheard.

In the case of the discontinued service, the decision might have been logical. For those affected, the loss was emotional. When leaders share the “what” and “why” without first acknowledging “how it feels,” the process breeds resistance instead of understanding.

The Elephant and the Rider

The book that captures this well is “Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard” by Chip and Dan Heath. The authors describe the mind as a rider and the emotions as an elephant. The rider provides direction and logic. The elephant provides energy and motivation. If you speak only to the rider, the elephant does not move. Sustainable change happens when both the mind and the heart are aligned.

Consultation, Decision, and Trust

I have often been accused of being too consultative, of taking too long to make hard and fast decisions. In a shared governance environment like higher education, I have seen what happens when decisions are made in isolation and without consultation. They might move faster at first, but they often end up taking longer. Leaders go back, explain how the decision was made, rebuild relationships, and repair the erosion of trust that follows. Consultation takes time. Rebuilding broken trust takes far longer.

The Mindset Behind Decisions

Mindset matters. Are you aiming for quick wins regardless of long-term community impact, or are you thinking about what sustains trust over time?

There are moments when quick coordination and action are necessary. As a member of our campus Emergency Operations Center, I have seen that in a crisis, speed matters. Even then, the foundation for rapid, effective coordination is trust. As one of my mentors and the leader of our EOC reminded us, “Three o’clock in the morning when the crisis is happening shouldn’t be the first time you get to know your campus partners.”

Preparation builds connection. Connection builds trust. Trust enables collaboration under pressure.

Trust as the Bridge

Trust connects data with humanity. It allows people to hear the message behind the metrics. Without trust, logic sounds like defense. With trust, logic sounds like care.

Across decades in leadership and systems work, I have seen again and again that the success of any initiative, whether in IT modernization, data governance, or mentorship, depends less on technical precision and more on relational credibility. When people believe you care about them, they will listen to your reasoning, even when they disagree. When they do not, the conversation ends before it begins.

Leading with Both Mind and Heart

• Begin with listening. Seek to understand before explaining.

• Share data as a shared resource, not a verdict.

• Acknowledge emotions as valid, even when outcomes are hard.

• Remember that relationships outlast systems.

Progress does not move at the speed of data. It moves at the speed of trust.