05.03.2026
Why Trust Outperforms Control
Executive Insight | Ægir Thorisson, CPO
Trust is often described as a value. Something cultural. Something aspirational.
I have come to believe that this framing is too narrow.
Trust is not just how people feel inside an organization. It is how the organization actually runs. It shapes how decisions are made, how authority is distributed, how quickly problems surface, and how fast teams learn.
In practice, trust determines execution speed.
The design question
Most organizations say they trust their people. Far fewer design their systems that way.
I have seen environments where trust is spoken about confidently, but every meaningful decision still travels upward for approval. Initiative is encouraged in theory, yet quietly second guessed in practice.
That gap creates hesitation. Control expands. Energy contracts.
Control does create predictability, but it rarely creates momentum.
Momentum appears when people are empowered to act close to the customer, when they are expected to think rather than simply comply, and when leaders are willing to share authority. That is not always comfortable. It requires confidence, and sometimes restraint.
Trust in practice
At Advania, we talk about showing trust, taking action, and empowering growth.
The words are simple. The real test is behavioral.
Do leaders set clear expectations and then genuinely give people room to deliver?
Do they remove obstacles rather than add new layers of approval?
Do they invite challenge, even when it slows a meeting down?
Without trust, principles remain statements.
With trust, they become operating logic.
Decentralization is a test of maturity
A decentralized organization only works if trust runs deep. Otherwise, autonomy quickly becomes fragmentation.
Trust aligns freedom with accountability. It allows decisions to be made where information is freshest and competence is strongest. That is not only a cultural preference. It is commercial logic.
In markets shaped by rapid technological change, centralized control slows response time. Empowered teams adapt faster. Adaptation creates relevance. And relevance drives growth.
Control stabilizes, trust mobilizes
Europe does not lack stability. If anything, we are very good at building stable systems.
What we sometimes lack is mobilization.
Trust mobilizes. When people feel trusted, they speak earlier. They surface risks sooner. They take ownership more naturally. Energy increases.
And energy drives performance.
Control may stabilize.
Trust mobilizes.
In competitive markets, mobilization wins.
Æ
egir Thorisson
Group Chief People Officer, Advania