How to Build Trust: The Trust Triangle

Maggi is an iconic Indian brand from Nestlé that faced a severe crisis of trust when it was alleged to contain excessive amount of mono-sodium glutamate (MSG) in the spice mix, raising health concerns. This controversy led to a nationwide ban on Maggi in 2015 till further tests cleared the situation.

To regain consumer trust, Nestlé initiated an aggressive and transparent consumer connect campaign even during the ban period. They communicated stringent quality checks, revamped packaging and engaged in open dialogue on food safety. In parallel, they also collaborated with food safety authorities who conducted extensive testing to obtain clearances to relaunch. Their proactive approach, succint communication and demonstrated commitment to quality enabled Maggi to regain consumer confidence and its status as a beloved household brand in India. 

Trust is at the heart of everything we do in life and in business. Trust is the currency of leadership. Leaders who invest in building trust create conditions for others to flourish and live up to their true potential. 

Building Trust as Leaders

What’s true for brand trust is also true for leaders within the organizations. Ancient Indian shlokas (spiritual texts) emphasize on importance of aligning Mann (Thoughts), Vachan (words) and Karma (Deeds). We may choose to name this alignment as authenticity or integrity. Any visible slippage in this alignment leads to withdrawl of trust, however small it may be. With each action that we undertake as leaders, we either deposit in the trust account or withdraw from it. Clarity of intent, alignment on methods, integrity in actions and transparent communication are some of the vital aspects of building trust with others.

In their article on HBR titled “Begin with Trust”, authors Anne Morriss and Frances Frei share very interesting stories and insights on how to build trust with others. The authors outline three core drivers of trust: authenticity, logic and empathy. They argue that people only trust you when they think they are interacting with the real you (authenticity), when they have faith in your judgement and competence (logic), and when they believe you care about them (empathy). 

Loss of trust in others can mostly be traced back to one of these three drivers. As a visual reminder of these drivers, I created a quick sketchnote illustrating the Trust Triangle. 

Related Reading at QAspire

• Leaders as Multipliers
• Three Levels of Trust in Relationships
• 5 Ways To Build Trust (Lessons from a Conversation)
• Leadership Starts With Trust
• Signs of a High-Trust Environment
• Leadership and Trust: 3 Elements

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