Fault Lines

Richard Roman

Fault Lines explores why trust breaks and how to rebuild it in organizations, leadership, communities, and public institutions. Hosted by Richard Roman, PhD, an expert in organizational leadership and trust strategy, the show translates research into actionable playbooks for senior leaders, consultants, and anyone navigating broken trust. Each episode features researchers, executives, and practitioners unpacking what actually works: workplace culture, team dynamics, institutional credibility, and civic trust. New episodes every week. Subscribe and start building trust where it matters most!

  1. 2d ago

    Trust Isn’t Declared. It’s Demonstrated One Interaction at a Time | Solo Episode

    Trust is not something you ask for; it is something you prove, one visible act at a time. Dr. Richard Roman breaks down why the fastest way to rebuild trust in a person, team, organization, or institution is often the least flashy one: showing up, following through, and closing the loop. Using Hallie Thompson's real-world experience from a Missouri town, a campaign, and her own consulting work, Richard maps trust across four levels (individual, team, organizational, and civic) and connects it to the research behind what actually changes minds and behavior. If you've ever wondered why mission statements, listening tours, and polished messaging so often fall flat, this episode shows you what works instead. You'll discover: Why trust is demonstrated, not declared How the ability, benevolence, integrity model explains whether people believe you Why deep canvassing works better than persuasion alone What Hallie Thompson's ladder-and-doorway approach reveals about community trust How self-trust, boundary-setting, and follow-through build credibility over time Why civic trust is hardest to repair and why most leaders get the first step wrong Richard also puts hard numbers on the current trust crisis, including Pew's finding that only 17% of Americans say they trust the federal government most of the time or always. That matters far beyond politics because when the top layer of trust is depleted, every layer below it starts from a weaker baseline. This episode is essential listening for leaders, managers, founders, organizers, CHROs, and anyone trying to repair trust that has already been damaged, or avoid breaking it in the first place. If you need a practical framework for turning abstract trust language into real behavior, this one will give you exactly that.

  2. Sep 8

    How Door Knocking Rebuilt Trust in a Depleted Political System

    What if the fastest way to rebuild trust in politics, science, and your community was not to persuade harder, but to listen better? Science policy professional and Boonville, Missouri city council member Hallie Thompson shares the deceptively simple approach that helped her win rural counties, launch a science-policy nonprofit, and turn local conversations into real policy ideas. Raised on a cow-calf farm in rural Missouri, Hallie learned early from her grandfather that good decisions come from close observation, careful notes, and knowing when to ask for help. That mindset now shapes everything she does, from deep canvassing in a congressional campaign to analyzing hundreds of door-to-door conversations to identify what her town actually needs. You’ll discover: Why deep canvassing built more trust than social media How scientists can contribute to politics and local government What Hallie learned after losing a close congressional race in 2018 Why historic preservation became a major issue in Boonville How restoring a historic home helped build community trust The small, repeatable actions that make people feel seen and heard Why nonpartisan science policy matters How to build trust through consistency, curiosity, and follow-through This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in science policy, civic engagement, political trust, community building, local government, systems change, and public service. Thompson also explains how she founded the Missouri Science and Technology Policy Initiative and how she now helps connect scientists, policymakers, and communities through collaborative projects. The central lesson is simple: trust is not something you declare; instead, it is something you demonstrate over time. Keywords: science policy, political trust, civic engagement, local government, community building

    How Door Knocking Rebuilt Trust in a Depleted Political System

  3. Jul 28

    When Trust Breaks, What Fills the Vacuum? | A Solo Episode

    Trust is the invisible economy that holds organizations, communities, and even families together, but what happens when it breaks? In this episode, Dr. Richard Roman examines why people stop trusting institutions not because the facts changed, but because the relationship broke down first. Using the autism-vaccine debate as a case study, he separates legitimate trust failures from unsupported causal claims and explains why “more facts” often backfires when trust is already damaged. He breaks down the difference between designed extraction and designed service, showing how systems built on opacity, certainty, and emotional reassurance can feel persuasive even when the evidence doesn’t support them. Roman also reveals why personal stories are powerful but not the same as proof, and why a good outcome does not automatically mean an intervention caused it. From public health to healthcare, HR, government, and leadership, this episode gives you a clear framework for spotting trust breakdowns, understanding what fills the vacuum, and building systems people can actually verify. If you lead people, care for patients, make policy, or simply want to understand why trust erodes so quickly, this conversation will change the way you think about evidence, credibility, and institutional failure.

  4. Jul 22

    The 40-Year Shield: How One Law Fractured Trust Between Families and the Healthcare System

    She was told her son would never talk, never live independently, never function without lifelong care. She refused to accept it. In this episode, Tracy Slepcevic, bestselling author of Warrior Mom, founder of the Autism Health Summit, and one of the newest members of the federal Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, speaks with Richard Roman to trace the fault line between the families who lost trust in the healthcare system and the institutions that stopped listening. From the 1986 Vaccine Injury Act to the design of her own counter-institutional conference, Tracy reveals what happens when a parent's self-trust becomes the only foundation left, and what it takes to build something new from the wreckage. A conversation about accountability, institutional design, and the question every system should be asking: was this built to serve, or built to protect?

    The 40-Year Shield: How One Law Fractured Trust Between Families and the Healthcare System

  5. Jul 14

    The Link Between Childhood Money Scripts and Chronic Debt | A Solo Episode

    In this episode of Fault Lines, Dr. Richard Roman explores why financial struggle is often not a knowledge problem, but a trust problem. Through the story of Holly Morphew, who once carried $67,000 in credit card debt while also managing chronic illness, Richard shows how even highly literate, high-achieving people can avoid looking at their numbers when shame, stress, and survival demands take over. Drawing on research into money scripts, childhood financial socialization, debt and mental health, and financial self-efficacy, this episode breaks down why “just be more confident” is not useful advice. Instead, it reveals a more durable path: awareness without judgment, values-based commitment to a future self, and small repeatable habits that rebuild trust over time. You’ll also hear practical takeaways for individuals, managers, and senior leaders who want to better understand financial stress in themselves and their teams. If you’ve ever avoided a statement, delayed a hard financial decision, or wondered why smart people still struggle with money, this conversation offers a clear and compassionate framework for what’s really happening. Listen now to rethink financial literacy, challenge the shame around money, and understand why trust (not just budgeting) is the foundation of lasting change.

    The Link Between Childhood Money Scripts and Chronic Debt | A Solo Episode

  6. Jul 8

    Self-Trust and Mindset are the Missing Pieces in Building Wealth That Lasts | Holly Morphew, Founder of Financial Impact

    Richard sits down with Holly Morphew, accredited financial counselor and founder of Financial Impact, to explore the powerful connection between self-trust, money mindset, and long-term financial freedom. Holly shares the personal story behind her work, including how a health crisis, $67,000 in credit card debt, and years of financial anxiety shaped the coaching philosophy she uses to help others today. Together, they unpack why so many high-achieving professionals still feel unsafe around money, how our earliest money scripts influence adult behavior, and why financial education should be treated as a public good. Holly also explains the difference between financial advising and financial coaching, why she sees money as an infinite game, and how her simple but effective system helps people build assets, increase income, and create sustainable habits. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by your finances, struggled with debt, or wanted a healthier relationship with money, this conversation offers practical wisdom and a human perspective on what it really takes to build wealth. Learn more about Holly’s work at financialimpact.com.

    Self-Trust and Mindset are the Missing Pieces in Building Wealth That Lasts | Holly Morphew, Founder of Financial Impact

  7. Jul 1

    Trust Is Not About Evidence: It's an Act of Imagination and Judgment | A Solo Episode

    In this episode, host Richard Roman explores a powerful idea: trust in organizations is not built by certainty, but by imagination. Building on insights from a prior conversation with Rae Greiner, he attempts to illustrate why the best leaders don’t just verify behavior: they develop the judgment to understand people in context. Richard breaks down the difference between rule thinking and case thinking explains the “certainty trap” that causes organizations to over-rely on process and data, and makes the case for a more human approach to leadership, one grounded in empathy, humility, and the willingness to revise your judgment when new information appears. If you lead teams, shape culture, or want a more compelling framework for understanding why trust breaks and how it can be rebuilt, this episode offers a sharp, thought-provoking lens on the real work of leadership. Core themes:  Why trust is an act of imagination Rule thinking vs. case thinking How certainty can weaken organizational trust The role of empathy and perspective-taking in leadership Why the best leaders stay open to revision Listen now to rethink what trust really requires and how to build organizations that are sturdier under pressure.

    Trust Is Not About Evidence: It's an Act of Imagination and Judgment | A Solo Episode

  8. Jun 23

    The Unsettling Truth About Certainty in Victorian Stories and the Illusion of Trust | Rae Greiner, Editor of Victorian Studies

    Host Richard Roman welcomes Rae Greiner, associate professor and editor of Victorian Studies, to explore how 18th- and 19th-century novels trained readers to think beyond simple rules and certainty, and why trust, sympathy, and moral judgment are far more complicated than they first appear. The conversation traces the rise of the sentimental and Gothic novel, the shifting relationship between reason and feeling, and how writers like Jane Austen, Dickens, Emily Brontë, and Henry James use narrative to test our assumptions about truth, morality, and human behavior. Dr. Greiner also breaks down Adam Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments and explains why sympathy is not just a feeling, but a process of imagination, interpretation, and case-by-case judgment. Along the way, we discuss unreliable narrators, the ethics of withholding judgment, and how literature reflects the messiness of real life. If you’ve ever wondered why stories can make us cry, laugh, distrust, or rethink what we believe, this episode offers a fascinating look at how fiction shapes the way we understand ourselves and others.

    The Unsettling Truth About Certainty in Victorian Stories and the Illusion of Trust | Rae Greiner, Editor of Victorian Studies
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4.7
out of 5
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About

Fault Lines explores why trust breaks and how to rebuild it in organizations, leadership, communities, and public institutions. Hosted by Richard Roman, PhD, an expert in organizational leadership and trust strategy, the show translates research into actionable playbooks for senior leaders, consultants, and anyone navigating broken trust. Each episode features researchers, executives, and practitioners unpacking what actually works: workplace culture, team dynamics, institutional credibility, and civic trust. New episodes every week. Subscribe and start building trust where it matters most!

Information

  • Creator
    Richard Roman
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    47
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Fault Lines