Over ten years ago, I was invited to teach ethics at the Berlin School of Creative Leadership with my friends David Slocum, sudhir venkatesh , and Doug Lynch. A key topic was trust and integrity. Most of us strive to live our lives with integrity, helping and supporting those around us, speaking well of others, and honoring our relationships by building and maintaining trust. I have always believed that if we can live our lives with trust as a lubricant, it is possible to accomplish more with less friction and more joy – as Stephen Covey called it "the speed of trust". Marshall taught me to prefer agreements over contracts because contracts imply an intent to resort to legal solutions, whereas agreements are merely ways to clarify terms and ensure alignment. To me, trust, honesty, and integrity are critical leadership traits. While some leaders may "lead" by dictating to others and leveraging their power and authority, genuine leadership is about inspiring people with your vision and empowering them to invest their time and talent in bringing that vision to life together.