The Triangle of Trust

A successful business requires collaboration and teamwork. For teamwork to work well, you need a high level of trust because it promotes employee engagement and productivity and reduces stress.

In some ways, trust is one of the most important forms of leadership capital. So what do you need to do to build trust?

According to Frances X. Frey and Ann Morris, trust has three basic drivers: authenticity, logic, and empathy.

People tend to trust you when they believe they are interacting with the real you (genuineness), when they believe in your judgment and competence (logic), and when they feel that you care about them (empathy).

When trust is lost, the causes can almost always be traced to the breakdown of one of these three drivers.

Let's look at each component in more detail.

Empathy is often the "shakiest" component of trust. If people think you care more about yourself than others, they won't trust you enough to follow you.

After all, it's hard to show empathy and give others our full attention when we're constantly performing multiple tasks - answering emails during a meeting, checking our calendar during a phone call, and mentally reviewing presentation notes during lunch with colleagues.

Empathy and distraction are like oil and water; they don't mix. We can only build trust when we are fully present and give 100% of our attention to people right at that moment.

This component covers two things:

• What is the quality of your logic? How strong and trustworthy is it?"
• Is it content? How clearly and concisely do you state your logic?

Often logic is sound, but leaders have trouble communicating their thoughts. A person may begin with a story or explanation, thinking he is creating context. However, by the time he gets to the important point, people have stopped listening.

To avoid getting into this situation, start with your point of view immediately. Express the essence of what you want to say in your first sentence. Then explain your logic if necessary.

The last component of trust is authenticity, which is often the hardest to achieve. Being genuine can be risky, especially around people who don't look or think like you. But a lack of authenticity can go a long way toward undermining trust.

Francis Frey advises: "Pay less attention to what you think people want to hear from you and much more attention to what your authentic amazing self needs to say."

Quick Test

How different is your professional personality from the one you show around family and friends? If there is a stark difference, consider what you get in return for masking or minimizing certain parts of yourself.

How much trust do you have in yourself? Trust is the starting point for building relationships with others, but the road to leadership begins even earlier with your willingness to empower yourself.

Where are your weaknesses?

For example, you may not care for yourself with enough empathy and compassion. Until you can reliably meet your needs, you cannot be an effective leader. Think similarly in terms of logic and authenticity. How honest are you with yourself?

If you don't fully trust yourself, why should others trust you?