There is more than one way to know if you can trust a leader. But one key way is find their crucibles. If leader isn’t willing to talk about them or can’t seem to remember any, a red flag should go up in your mind.
Teddy Roosevelt had some penetrating thoughts on leaders who seemed to have escaped suffering:
“I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life; I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.”