Real Matters: Building Trust in an Unreal World
Curated feeds. Corporate spin. AI-generated everything.
Building trust in modern times is harder than ever. It’s also one of the most valuable assets a leader or organization can possess.
Employees, customers, and stakeholders are attracted to what feels real – and they can
sense inauthenticity in an instant.
When leaders show up with authenticity, they create cultures rooted in trust,
engagement, and collaboration – the foundations of high-performing teams.
Being real is the most powerful way to stand out in an unreal world of filtered
perceptions and manufactured narratives.
This doesn’t mean rejecting technology – quite the opposite. It means embracing it without losing the human touch in leadership and processes.
Backed by Global Leadership Research
Mariana’s Trust Advantage™ framework is informed by insights from 3,000+ leaders across four continents and aligns with research from Edelman, Gallup, and Harvard Business Review.
Her findings show that leadership trust consistently rises when 3 elements are present:
Clarity
Leaders who clearly articulate their purpose and direction earn significantly higher trust.
Purpose was the most frequently cited trait of trusted leadership in Mariana’s global survey.
Presence
High-trust leaders are fully engaged, emotionally attuned, and steady under pressure.
Research on psychological safety confirms that presence is foundational to team performance.
Congruence
Trust strengthens when a leader’s words, values, and actions align.
Studies show that alignment under pressure is a defining predictor of long-term credibility.
Purpose is the strongest driver of leadership trust.
In her global survey of 3,000+ leaders, clarity of intention — what a leader is truly “in it for” — was the most cited driver of trust.
The Performance Impact
High-trust teams report 106% more energy and 50% higher productivity
(HBR).
Highly engaged teams are 21% more profitable
(Gallup).
63% of customers choose brands they trust over cheaper alternatives
(Edelman).
Key Takeaways
Identify and leverage your unique leadership abilities to build trust.
Develop the skills to determine, understand, and guide your team through change effectively.
Communicate with clarity, empathy, and transparency to navigate uncertainty.
Unite your teams around a shared purpose to drive collective progress.
Mariana’s interactive exercises make unforgettable lessons and customized experiences.
A Perfect Fit For:
Opening and Closing Conferences, Summits, yearly gathering – when you need the energy boost to keep your event and audience engaged.
Industries facing disruption – healthcare, finance, tech, media, automotive – where trust is both regulated and fragile
Companies implementing new processes and AI at scale – where employees fear displacement/overwhelm and customers expect humanity
Organizations post-layoffs or reorgs – rebuilding trust with survivors who watched colleagues exit
Hybrid and remote teams – where distance erodes connection and interactions become transactional
Sales and Marketing teams – where teams are looking to connect with their target audiences genuinely, so their product or service resonates
Leadership teams driving transformation – where change management is actually trust management
Companies with engagement or talent retention crises
Trust Data:
2026 Edelman Trust Barometer Key numbers Core trust levels by institution, media, etc
(global, general population):
My Employer: 78% trust
Business: 64% trust
Media: 54% trust
Government: 53% trust
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
Perfectly You: Leveraging the Power Within
Everywhere we look, the world pressures us to perform, conform, and be perfect – often at the expense of being true to ourselves.
But the truth is, when we show up authentically, we become magnetic
and unlock greater resilience, confidence, and purpose.
Authenticity not only helps us navigate change and uncertainty – it attracts
opportunities and relationships that align with who we really are.
Mariana’s unique energy and interactive dynamics give people permission to drop the masks and discover the bold power of being “Perfectly You.”
Through inspiring stories and practical takeaways, attendees will learn how to
embrace what makes them irreplaceable and tap into authenticity as a source of strength and well-being to give their best at work and in life.
Audiences leave energized, empowered, and ready to stand out – not by trying to be perfect, but by having the courage to be real.
Key Takeaways
Harness the traits that make you unique (and “Perfectly You”) to resiliently navigate change and uncertainty with confidence.
Discover your sense of purpose and increase your personal fulfillment.
Learn the three-step framework authentic leaders use to cultivate cultures of trust, collaboration, and purpose.
Foster meaningful relationships to strengthen team culture and team building.
Mariana’s energy and empathy create breakthrough moments that audiences remember long after they leave.
A Perfect Fit For
High-achieving teams battling burnout and work-life balance
Organizations and ERGs with diverse teams – where underrepresented talent needs to feel recognized and energized in this time
Women's leadership programs – navigating impostor syndrome, self-confidence, legacy building and the myth of perfection
First-time leaders and recently promoted hires – second-guessing their right to lead, waiting for permission to be decisive and bring forth bold ideas
Teams playing it safe – where fear of judgment or failure is killing the differentiation that drives growth
Organizations in transition – where people are performing a version of themselves to fit the new culture
Corporate environments where psychological safety is needed
Multigenerational friction among team members – where leadership and communication styles clash
The Power of Authenticity
A Six-Year Global Leadership Study
Over the past six years, Mariana has asked more than 3,000 professionals across four continents, from different backgrounds and religions, two deceptively simple questions:
What makes you unique?
What is your purpose?
Spanning entrepreneurs, executives, educators, creatives, and corporate leaders, the responses revealed a consistent global pattern.
Key Findings
• When individuals move beyond titles and achievements and describe identity and values, clarity increases.
• The vast majority of purpose statements center on service, contribution, family, community, and long-term impact — not status or personal gain.
• Participants who articulated alignment between who they are and why they lead expressed greater steadiness, confidence, and resilience.
Across industries and cultures, the language shifted from performance to contribution.
From proving to serving.
From perfection to purpose.
These keynotes are especially powerful for regional and national associations, women’s conferences, leadership summits, and yearly off-sites.
“Book Mariana – it will be the smartest decision you make for your event. Her message set the tone for the rest of the conference.”
– Executive Vice President, Florida Apartment Association