Week 2 - the trust equation
Trust has a formula.
Trust has a formula.
Trust = (Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy) / Self-orientation
- Credibility (words): I can trust what they say about...
- Reliability (actions): I can trust them to...
- Intimacy (emotions): I feel comfortable discussing this with them...
- Self-orientation (motives): whose interests are really at heart?
To build trust, grow the top line. To keep it, shrink the bottom one, and put their interests ahead of yours (authentically).
A gentle warning: trust won't stop things going wrong. Your team will let you down sometimes. You'll let them down too. That's not a failure of trust — it's just what working with humans looks like. Messy, but worth it (maybe because it's messy).
You invest in trust because when things do go sideways, it means you can fix them faster and be honest about what happened. That's one of the most useful things a manager can build. Speed is what trust gains you.
Credit to Charles H. Green for the model. Week 2 of Manager in 8 Weeks has you score yourself on it with two real people — which is more revealing than it sounds. Trying to add a formula to the level of trust you share with someone is an intimidating thing to try, but a powerful gift to give yourself, and them.
Which part of the trust equation do you find hardest right now?
As I write this, and I think, mine's Intimacy.