Our most significant relationships, however close they may be, need – and deserve – a helping hand to be consolidated or maintained. One of our strongest and most important bonds is, precisely, trust. There are few psychological dimensions as vital, nourishing, and at the same time as complex as trust.

Self-confidence, one of its layers, reflects the perception of our ability to act, succeed at something, or make good decisions.

Interpersonal trust should be understood as a behavioral skill that allows us to accept or not be vulnerable when depending on other people’s actions.

Imagine if you had to visit the kitchen before sitting down to eat in any restaurants you were to visit. Or if you had to examine the medical degree of every doctor who treats you.

Trust, then, implicitly exists in every activity we perform in our daily lives. 

Getting into a cab implies trusting the driver. Voting for a candidate implies believing that the person you are voting for is capable of representing your ideals. Delegating your decision means managing trust. .  

Thus, one can understand how trust affects and is affected by all areas of our lives.

For example, it is very difficult to be trusting at work when you are going through a complicated moment in your personal life, such as a divorce or a family loss; it is also difficult to be trusting in your personal life when you are in a delicate situation at work, such as an impending layoff due to poor results. 

  1. An organizationwithout a strong culture of trust loses its attractiveness and sees the engagement of its teams decline;

  2. A managerwho doesn’t implement trust in his company loses the opportunity to achieve a good performance;

  3. A manager who doesn’t foster trust in his team, makeshisemployees distrust his management and avoid getting the job done;

  4. An individual without self-confidence will let himself be guided by his fears and not by his needs.

Levels of trust: How do I relate?

Trust dimensions and dichotomies: What do I do?

The dimensions of trust are divided into nine levels and their dichotomies are separated into two categories: those that promote trust and those that breed distrust, respectively. They are:

  • Faith vs. Skepticism;
  • Authenticity vs. Dissimulation;
  • Forgiveness vs. Grudge;
  • Empathy x Indifference;
  • Focus x Scatter;
  • Accountability vs. Evasion;
  • Coherence x Incoherence;
  • Cooperation vs. Individualism;
  • Learning x Immobilism.

Trust Scale:how does it it appear?

The trust scale describes how each person can manage his or her trust skill and use it positively or negatively in social relationships. It is structured according to five levels, separated by percentages of trust, as follows:

  • Distrust/Danger (0% – 20%): in this degree, the person may become hostile and react aggressively to attempts to approach them;
  • Mistrust/Flight (21% – 40%): here, the person may back off or even distance him/herself from others upon attempts to establish a connection;
  • Prudence/Caution (41% – 60%): in this state, the person can take as much time as he or she deems necessary to evaluate decisions and take sides as to how to interact;
  • Trust/Skill (61% – 90%): at this level of trust, the person can consciously and consistently promote results by engaging proactively;
  • Trust/AIC area (91% – 100%): finally, this degree may reveal arrogant or naive behaviors, although it may also reflect an established level of confidence.

Most highly affected environments: Where does it happen?

Environments are the places where levels of trust (whether high or low) have more impact power, being divided into three main spheres and their offshoots:

  • Corporate: Organizations and Work; Hierarchies; Team; Customers and Partners;
  • Entrepreneurial: Personal and professional;
  • Personal Life: Family and Friends.