Trust does not emerge from a single behavior. It emerges from a patterned experience across multiple dimensions of interaction. While some models focus on individual traits, the Five Dimensions of Trust model focuses on the relational environment leaders create.
The five dimensions are:
- Honesty
- Respect
- Fairness
- Openness
- Reliability
Together, they describe the everyday conditions under which trust either flourishes or deteriorates. Unlike abstract leadership ideals, these dimensions are observable. People know whether they are present because they feel them in meetings, decisions, and conversations.
This model is particularly powerful because it shifts attention away from charisma and toward culture. Trust becomes something a team practices collectively, not something a leader claims personally.
This article explores each dimension, how it functions, how it breaks down, and how leaders can intentionally cultivate it.
Why dimensions matter
Trust is often discussed as if it were binary: present or absent. In reality, trust is granular.
A person may trust a leader’s competence but not their fairness.
They may trust their intentions but not their reliability.
The Five Dimensions model allows leaders to pinpoint where trust is strong and where it is fragile.
Trust grows fastest when leaders stop asking:
“Do they trust me?”
and start asking:
“Which dimension of trust needs strengthening?”
Honesty: The foundation of psychological safety
Honesty answers the question:
“Am I being told the truth?”
Honesty is not merely the absence of lies. It is the presence of truthful representation.
This includes:
- Accurate information
- Complete context (not selective disclosure)
- Clear differentiation between facts and opinions
Leaders violate honesty not only by lying, but by withholding relevant information, spinning narratives, or using ambiguous language to avoid discomfort.
Honesty builds trust because it stabilizes reality.
When people trust information, they can make good decisions. When they don’t, they spend energy decoding motives instead of solving problems.
High-honesty environments:
- Bad news travels fast
- Questions are welcomed
- Reality is discussed early
Low-honesty environments:
- Problems are hidden
- Rumors thrive
- People speak carefully, not truthfully
Honesty does not mean brutal bluntness. Truth can be delivered with care.
“I want to be transparent about where we are. We missed the target. Here’s why. Here’s what we’re changing.”
This is honest and constructive.
Ask yourself:
- Do I share difficult truths promptly?
- Do I correct misinformation when I hear it?
- Do I distinguish clearly between what I know and what I assume?
If not, honesty needs reinforcement.
Respect: Affirming human dignity
Respect answers the question:
“Am I valued as a person?”
Respect is not agreement. It is not praise. It is not avoidance of conflict.
Respect is the consistent demonstration that someone’s presence, time, and perspective matter.
Respect shows up in:
- Listening without interruption
- Acknowledging contributions
- Avoiding sarcasm and belittling language
- Addressing issues directly rather than through gossip
Leaders can unintentionally violate respect by:
- Multitasking during conversations
- Dismissing ideas without exploration
- Using people as means to an end
Respect builds trust because it protects dignity.
People can tolerate hard feedback. They cannot tolerate humiliation.
High-respect cultures:
- Debate is vigorous but civil
- People feel safe expressing dissent
- Feedback is framed around behavior, not identity
Low-respect cultures:
- Conversations feel tense
- Silence replaces honesty
- Energy goes into self-protection
A simple respect practice:
Reflect before responding.
“So what you’re saying is…”
This signals that the person was heard.
Ask yourself:
- Do I treat everyone with the same baseline courtesy?
- Do I separate critique of work from critique of person?
- Do people feel safe disagreeing with me?
If not, respect is eroding.
Fairness: Creating predictable justice
Fairness answers the question:
“Are people treated equitably?”
Fairness does not mean everyone gets the same outcome. It means decisions follow understandable and consistent principles.
Fairness involves:
- Transparent criteria
- Consistent application
- Opportunity for voice
Unfairness is one of the fastest trust killers.
People will accept unpopular decisions if they believe the process was fair.
They will resist even beneficial decisions if they believe favoritism was involved.
Common fairness violations:
- Exceptions without explanation
- Hidden criteria
- Different standards for different people
Fairness builds trust because it reduces fear.
When people know the rules are stable, they take risks.
High-fairness cultures:
- Explain how decisions are made
- Invite input before final calls
- Apply standards consistently
Low-fairness cultures:
- Breed resentment
- Encourage political behavior
- Fragment into in-groups and out-groups
Ask yourself:
- Can I explain why this person received this opportunity?
- Would I make the same decision if a different name were attached?
- Do people understand how performance is evaluated?
If not, fairness needs attention.
Openness: Making information flow
Openness answers the question:
“Do I have access to what I need to understand what’s happening?”
Openness includes:
- Sharing context
- Explaining reasoning
- Making thinking visible
Leaders often underestimate how much uncertainty people experience.
Silence creates stories. Stories are usually worse than reality.
Openness reduces speculation.
High-openness cultures:
- Share direction early
- Update frequently
- Encourage questions
Low-openness cultures:
- Hoard information
- Announce decisions without context
- Discourage inquiry
Openness does not require sharing everything. It requires sharing what is relevant.
“I can’t share details yet, but here’s what I can say…”
This is openness.
Ask yourself:
- Do I default to sharing or withholding?
- Do people know what we’re optimizing for?
- Do I explain the thinking behind shifts?
If not, openness is constrained.
Reliability: Creating behavioral stability
Reliability answers the question:
“Will things happen as expected?”
Reliability overlaps with the Trust Equation but functions here at a cultural level.
It includes:
- Consistent processes
- Predictable responses
- Follow-through
Reliability reduces cognitive load.
When systems are reliable, people don’t need to double-check everything.
Low reliability creates constant vigilance.
High-reliability cultures:
- Keep commitments
- Document decisions
- Follow processes
Low-reliability cultures:
- Miss deadlines
- Change priorities without explanation
- Create confusion
Ask yourself:
- Do we finish what we start?
- Do our processes work consistently?
- Do people know what to expect from leadership?
If not, reliability is unstable.
The systemic nature of the five dimensions
The dimensions reinforce each other.
Honesty without respect feels harsh.
Openness without fairness feels manipulative.
Reliability without honesty feels mechanical.
Strong trust cultures balance all five.
Leaders shape this balance through what they tolerate, reward, and model.
Building trust as a cultural practice
Trust is not a value statement. It is a set of habits.
- Tell the truth.
- Treat people with dignity.
- Apply standards consistently.
- Share context.
- Keep promises.
Repeated daily, these behaviors create a culture where trust becomes the default.
Not because leaders demand it.
But because people experience it.
This article is part of a five-article series, at Dreieskiva, on trust models in leadership:
- The Nine Habits of Trust — Practical daily behaviors that grow trust
- The 3 Cs Model of Trust — Competence, Character, Connection
- The Five Dimensions of Trust — Honesty, Respect, Fairness, Openness, Reliability
- The Trust Equation — Credibility, Reliability, Vulnerability, Ego
- The Trust Triangle — Authenticity, Logic, Empathy
Each model offers a unique lens, but they converge on the same principle: trust is deliberate, observable, and repeatable.
DREIESKIVA|Roald Kvam 
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