When things go wrong, at work or at home, a lack of trust is often at the heart of it. Being seen as a trustworthy leader, and being able to trust your team, can have a huge impact not only on results but also on motivation, relationships and well-being.
What I find particularly useful about this book is its practical framework for understanding where trust may be breaking down and what we can do to rebuild it. Feltman identifies four elements of trust: care, sincerity, competence and reliability.
Do people believe you genuinely care about their interests and perspectives, or do they see you as focused only on your own? Do they believe what you say, and can they rely on your word? Do they have confidence in your ability to deliver, and are you honest when you need support or guidance? And when you commit to something, do you follow through on time?
Trust can break down in any one of these areas, and the reasons are not always the same. Rather than simply labelling someone as untrustworthy, this framework encourages us to get curious about what is missing, where trust still exists, and what might be done to repair it.
This framework is a valuable tool for leaders who want to build stronger relationships, have more productive conversations and create teams where people can thrive.