Just lead: 6 ways today's CEOs can meet the moment

This is Axios CEO Jim VandeHei's plan to help CEOs and other leaders navigate this moment. This call to action, which got a sneak peek over the weekend in his C-Suite newsletter, is a follow-up to our Monday column, "The Rattled Generation."

• Watch Jim's video.

Americans have lost faith in almost every binding institution and leader — except the CEO.

• The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer is unambiguous. "My employer" is the most trusted institution on Earth at 78% — more trusted than government, media or organized religion.

Why it matters: This isn't a trophy. It's an obligation. Business leaders have an urgent call to fill the leadership void.

Jamie Dimon told me in March that CEOs have a duty to step up. He's right. As a CEO myself, I drafted some tips for others in the C-suite to do this — not to moralize, but because the business case for leadership has never been cleaner:

1. Level with your people. We're not politicians. We shouldn't pretend to be. But our microphones are bigger and more trusted than at any point in a generation.

• Tell the truth — about the economy, about the business, about jobs. Our people are hungry for wisdom and direction. Acknowledge honestly where we're falling short.
• If government, churches and the media were trusted, we could focus on just running our companies. They're not. So we can't.

2. Speak plainly about AI. AI will create extraordinary wealth and disrupt nearly every job in nearly every company, fast.

• Too many leaders are silent because they're confused themselves. Our employees deserve better. We need to master AI to explain it to others. And then talk about it transparently.
• One lesson I learned this past year: Most people get enthusiastic and engaged in AI when we discuss it candidly and give them the tools and training to experiment. Be honest about your commitment to retrain, redeploy and do right by the people whose work changes most.

3. Model strong moral leadership — and talk about it. This country functions when leaders demonstrate humility, competence and the will to do hard things.

• People often aren't hearing that at home, in school or on social media. We can fill the void — not with politics, but with character: Honesty. Hard work. Respect. Personal responsibility. Every durable institution in human history was built on that foundation. Talking about universal good business values is good business.

4. Reward competence. Don't be performative about your people. Don't reflexively overcorrect. Just be real about demanding and rewarding competency and fairness for all — where the best people win, the pool is as wide as the country itself and every employee knows the rules apply equally.

• That's how free-market capitalism works best. It's also how we get the most out of the most talented people.

5. Celebrate America with clear eyes. Anyone with kids or who spends time on college campuses sees the erosion of faith in and love for the country. Schools dance around it. Social media mocks it. No one is filling the void.

• That patriotic decay is a threat to every business here because it atrophies the country's civic muscles. We shouldn't be blind cheerleaders, but reminding our teams how we got here — and what it has meant to humanity — is one of the best uses of our voice. I try to do this in every speech these days.

6. Think bigger. We compete hard — both against each other and against rivals who wish us ill — but the greatest American companies were always built with the country, never against it.

• Engage with government as a citizen, not a lobbyist. Build here where it makes sense. Invest in the "forgotten" talent pools, like veterans, apprentices or those in the ZIP codes or neighborhoods we usually fly over.
• Run your company for the long-term interest of America, not the next quarter. Good business and patriotism must coexist.

What CEOs can do right now:

• The litmus test: Send this to your inner circle with one question, "Are we leading, or are we just managing?"
• The unfiltered town hall: Schedule a session to talk about the state of the union — the company's and the country's broadly, not politically — without a script. Lean into the moment in a way that fits your style and aspirations.
• The "one" move: Identify one smart investment in people, like a local factory or an AI training program, and green-light it fast. Explain how it fits into your leadership philosophy and responsibility.
• Pass it on: You only make a difference at scale with scale. Every business leader, from a two-person plumbing shop to Nvidia, has the power to make others better and more engaged. Hell, teachers, community leaders and parents are trusted and can help, too.

The bottom line: None of this matters if it ends with words. Every business leader can take small actions that make a big difference to those hungry for leadership and guidance.

📱 Watch our "Behind the Curtain" video.

• 📬 Share your thoughts on this call to action: [email protected].
• 📈 If you're a CEO or on a CEO's team: Ask to join Jim's new weekly Axios C-Suite newsletter.

🫨 Go deeper with Monday's piece by Jim and Mike Allen, "The Rattled Generation: A unified theory of this American moment."