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Trust, Self-Awareness, and the Stories Leaders Tell Themselves

With Lori Zukin, CEO and Founder of Zukin Leadership

Most trust problems in accounting firms aren't interpersonal. They're structural.

In this episode of Canopy Practice Success, organizational psychologist and executive coach Lori Zukin breaks down what trust actually is, why it breaks down in firms, and what leaders can do about it. Lori draws on 25 years of coaching executives across professional services, her work facilitating leadership programs for Simon Sinek's Optimism Company, and her experience running leadership immersions for high-potential accountants at Baker Tilly.

The conversation covers the psychology behind trust, self-awareness, and the stories we tell ourselves about colleagues — including a deceptively simple exercise that separates facts from opinions and immediately reduces conflict. Lori also shares the framework she uses to help leaders understand their state of mind and why getting above the line before a hard conversation changes everything.

Whether you're a partner navigating a PE transition, a manager stepping into a new leadership role, or someone who's wondered whether an executive coach might help — this episode gives you a clear and practical picture of what the work looks like.

What You'll Learn

• Why most trust problems on accounting teams are structural, not interpersonal
• How to break trust down into three components: capability, reliability, and intention
• The facts vs. opinions exercise that immediately reduces unnecessary conflict
• What "above the line" and "below the line" mean — and how to use it before a hard conversation
• When the right time to work with an executive coach actually is
• The difference between executive coaching and life coaching
• Why self-awareness outranks experience as the most important long-term leadership skill
• The most overlooked leadership skill in accounting firm leaders today
• Why wisdom matters more than knowledge when it comes to long-term growth

Connect With Lori

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lori-zukin-19a317a/?skipRedirect=true

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