Human Resources For Small Business

Most leaders say they value trust. It shows up in mission statements and team meetings. But when trust breaks down, few can explain why performance slows, collaboration frays, or innovation quietly disappears. Dr. Paul Zak doesn't treat trust as an abstraction. As a behavioral neuroscientist with over 25 years of research, he studies trust the same way an engineer studies load-bearing structures. His work has identified the specific neurochemical, oxytocin, that drives human connection. And the behaviors that trigger it are simpler than most leaders expect. In this episode, Paul breaks down what trust actually looks like day to day, why autonomy outperforms surveillance, how recognition needs to happen to actually stick, and why human connection matters more than ever in a world shaped by AI and remote work. Whether you lead a team of five or five hundred, this conversation will change how you think about the small moments that drive performance.   Timestamps 0:00 Introduction 2:00 What trust actually looks