Trust isn’t given. It’s earned and it’s fragile.
You can’t lead people who don’t trust you. Without it, you get compliance at best and silent resistance at worst.
What trust really is:
Trust isn’t just a rational judgment. It’s also an emotional decision.
- In their heads, people judge your competence, your honesty, and your consistency.
- In their hearts, they feel whether you’re safe, whether you care, and whether you’re “for them.”
That’s why trust is both head and heart — fragile, complex, and essential.
Or, as Wally puts it:
“People don’t follow you for what you know. They follow you because of who you are.”
--The Trust Equation
A useful way to think about it is the Trust Equation:
T = (Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy) ÷ Self-Interest
- Credibility = what you know, your competence.
- Reliability = doing what you say, consistently.
- Intimacy = the emotional connection — do I feel understood and safe with you?
- Self-interest = the killer. If people sense you’re mainly in it for yourself, trust collapses.
So: build credibility, reliability, and intimacy — while keeping self-interest low. That’s the formula.
Why it matters now
The Edelman Trust Barometer shows business is the most trusted institution globally (62%), ahead of government and media. Yet 68% of people believe leaders mislead by saying things they know are false or grossly exaggerated.
Translation: people want to trust leaders, especially at work — but they’re scanning for signals you’re real.
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From the Playbook: 7 moves to earn trust
1. Make small promises. Keep them fast.
Build a visible streak of reliability.
2. Tell the unvarnished truth.
Own bad news early. If you don’t know, say so.
3. Explain the why, not just the what.
Context builds fairness, which builds trust.
4. Own mistakes publicly.
“Here’s what I got wrong, and here’s what I’m changing.”
5. Share credit loudly.
Make success a team sport.
6. Be predictable under pressure.
Set your rules of the road, then stick to them.
7. Put skin in the game.
If you’re asking people to carry weight, carry some yourself.
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Bottom line: Trust is earned in cycles, truth → action → follow-through → repeat. It’s lost in a moment.
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Want tools to put this into practice?
- Grab the free Leader’s Labyrinth Playbook (trust & credibility worksheets) → [insert link]
- Prefer posts by email? Subscribe on Substack → You can’t lead people who don’t trust you. Without it, you get compliance at best and silent resistance at worst.
What trust really is:
Trust isn’t just a rational judgment. It’s also an emotional decision.
- In their heads, people judge your competence, your honesty, and your consistency.
- In their hearts, they feel whether you’re safe, whether you care, and whether you’re “for them.”
That’s why trust is both head and heart — fragile, complex, and essential.
Or, as Wally puts it:
“People don’t follow you for what you know. They follow you because of who you are.”
--The Trust Equation
A useful way to think about it is the Trust Equation:
T = (Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy) ÷ Self-Interest
- Credibility = what you know, your competence.
- Reliability = doing what you say, consistently.
- Intimacy = the emotional connection — do I feel understood and safe with you?
- Self-interest = the killer. If people sense you’re mainly in it for yourself, trust collapses.
So: build credibility, reliability, and intimacy — while keeping self-interest low. That’s the formula.
Why it matters now
The Edelman Trust Barometer shows business is the most trusted institution globally (62%), ahead of government and media. Yet 68% of people believe leaders mislead by saying things they know are false or grossly exaggerated.
Translation: people want to trust leaders, especially at work — but they’re scanning for signals you’re real.
---
From the Playbook: 7 moves to earn trust
1. Make small promises. Keep them fast.
Build a visible streak of reliability.
2. Tell the unvarnished truth.
Own bad news early. If you don’t know, say so.
3. Explain the why, not just the what.
Context builds fairness, which builds trust.
4. Own mistakes publicly.
“Here’s what I got wrong, and here’s what I’m changing.”
5. Share credit loudly.
Make success a team sport.
6. Be predictable under pressure.
Set your rules of the road, then stick to them.
7. Put skin in the game.
If you’re asking people to carry weight, carry some yourself.
---
Bottom line: Trust is earned in cycles, truth → action → follow-through → repeat. It’s lost in a moment.
---
Want tools to put this into practice?
- Grab the free Leader’s Labyrinth Playbook (trust & credibility worksheets)