DREIESKIVA​|Roald Kvam

Trust often feels intangible, but it can be understood with surprising precision. One of the most practical models for doing so is the Trust Equation:

Trust = (Credibility + Reliability + Vulnerability) / Ego

This formula expresses a profound truth: trust grows when credibility, reliability, and vulnerability increase — and it collapses as ego expands.

Unlike vague discussions about “being trustworthy,” this equation gives leaders a concrete diagnostic tool. It explains why some highly competent leaders are not trusted, why some well-liked leaders lose confidence, and why humility often carries more influence than authority.

Trust is not built through image management. It is built through behavior patterns that compound over time.

This article explores each component of the Trust Equation in depth, explains how they interact, and offers practical ways leaders can use the model to build resilient trust in teams and organizations.

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Why an equation?

An equation implies two important realities:

1. Trust is dynamic, not static.
2. Trust is sensitive to imbalance.

You can increase trust by strengthening any of the three numerator factors. But if ego grows faster than the others, overall trust declines — even if you are skilled, hardworking, and well-intentioned.

The equation also reveals that trust is not about perfection. It is about proportion.

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Credibility: Do people believe what you say?

Credibility answers the question:

“Are you knowledgeable and truthful?”

It is built from two sources:

• Competence (you know what you’re talking about)
• Integrity (you tell the truth)

A leader can be highly competent and still lack credibility if they exaggerate, spin narratives, or selectively present information.

Likewise, a leader can be honest but lose credibility if they consistently demonstrate weak understanding of their domain.

Credibility grows when leaders:

• Speak accurately
• Admit uncertainty
• Correct mistakes publicly
• Stay within their expertise or clearly state limits

A simple credibility-enhancing sentence:

“I don’t know yet, but I will find out.”

This sentence signals honesty and responsibility.

Nothing erodes credibility faster than pretending to know.

Credibility is also harmed by overconfidence. Leaders who present guesses as facts create false certainty. When reality eventually contradicts them, trust collapses.

High-credibility leaders treat truth as more important than appearance.

Ask yourself:

• Do I ever stretch the truth to look better?
• Do I acknowledge when my information is incomplete?
• Do people seek my perspective because they trust its accuracy?

If not, credibility needs strengthening.

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Reliability: Do you do what you say you will do?

Reliability answers the question:

“Can I count on you?”

It is the most behaviorally visible component of trust.

You can be brilliant and honest. If you are inconsistent, people will hesitate to rely on you.

Reliability is built through:

• Meeting commitments
• Being punctual
• Following through
• Communicating delays early

Importantly, reliability is not about never failing. It is about how you handle failure.

Reliable leaders:

• Notify early when they cannot meet a commitment
• Renegotiate expectations explicitly
• Take ownership

Unreliable leaders:

• Disappear
• Offer excuses
• Hope issues go unnoticed

Every missed commitment is a withdrawal from the trust account. Every kept commitment is a deposit.

Small promises matter as much as large ones.

“If I say I’ll send it by Friday and I don’t, that matters.”

Many leaders unintentionally damage trust by overcommitting. They want to appear helpful, capable, and responsive. But saying yes too easily creates a trail of broken promises.

High-reliability leaders are careful with their yes.

Ask yourself:

• Do I track my commitments?
• Do I communicate quickly when priorities shift?
• Do people feel safe depending on me?

If not, reliability is leaking.

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Vulnerability: Are you willing to be human?

Vulnerability answers the question:

“Are you real and open?”

It involves appropriate self-disclosure, admitting mistakes, and acknowledging limitations.

Vulnerability does not mean emotional dumping or oversharing. It means lowering the mask.

Leaders often fear vulnerability because they equate it with weakness. In reality, controlled vulnerability signals confidence.

A leader who can say:

“I got this wrong.”

or

“I need help with this.”

demonstrates security, not fragility.

Vulnerability builds trust because it invites reciprocity. When leaders model openness, others feel permission to do the same.

Without vulnerability, teams hide problems.

Hidden problems become crises.

Vulnerability also reduces power distance. It humanizes authority.

Common vulnerability behaviors:

• Admitting uncertainty
• Sharing lessons learned from failure
• Asking genuine questions
• Acknowledging emotional impact

A powerful pattern:

State the fact → Name the impact → Share the learning.

Example:

“I underestimated the timeline. That caused extra stress for the team. Next time, I’ll build in buffer and pressure-test the plan earlier.”

Trust increases.

Vulnerability does not eliminate standards. It strengthens them by anchoring accountability in honesty.

Ask yourself:

• When was the last time I admitted a mistake publicly?
• Do I ask for input?
• Do people see me as approachable?

If not, vulnerability may be blocked.

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Ego: The silent trust killer

Ego is placed in the denominator for a reason.

Ego answers the question:

“Is this about you or about the mission?”

Ego shows up when leaders:

• Seek credit
• Deflect blame
• Dominate conversations
• Protect image at all costs

High ego does not always look arrogant. It can look like perfectionism, defensiveness, or chronic self-justification.

Any behavior primarily aimed at protecting identity instead of serving outcomes increases ego.

Ego reduces trust because it shifts focus away from shared goals.

When people sense that a leader’s main priority is self-image, they stop offering honest input. They tell the leader what is safe, not what is true.

Low-ego leaders:

• Share credit
• Accept blame
• Ask more than they tell
• Center decisions on impact, not optics

Ego does not mean having confidence. It means being attached to being right.

Confidence says: “I believe in my judgment.”
Ego says: “I must be seen as right.”

Trust thrives under confidence. It suffocates under ego.

Ask yourself:

• Do I feel threatened by dissent?
• Do I explain mistakes or own them?
• Do I care more about looking good than getting it right?

If yes, ego is inflating.

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How the equation works in practice

Consider two leaders:

Leader A:

• High credibility
• High reliability
• Low vulnerability
• Moderate ego

Leader B:

• Moderate credibility
• High reliability
• High vulnerability
• Low ego

Most people trust Leader B more.

Why?

Because vulnerability and low ego dramatically amplify trust.

The equation reminds us: being human often outweighs being impressive.

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Using the trust equation as a diagnostic tool

When trust is low, ask:

• Is credibility questioned?
• Is reliability inconsistent?
• Is vulnerability absent?
• Is ego dominating?

Then act surgically.

If credibility is low → Increase transparency and accuracy.
If reliability is low → Reduce commitments and improve follow-through.
If vulnerability is low → Model openness.
If ego is high → Shift focus to mission and others.

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Trust as an ongoing practice

Trust is not built in speeches. It is built in calendars, inboxes, meetings, and micro-responses.

How you answer uncomfortable questions.
How you respond to failure.
How you handle success.

The Trust Equation offers a daily reminder:

Be truthful.
Be dependable.
Be human.
Stay humble.

Do that consistently, and trust becomes a natural byproduct.

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This article is part of a five-article series, at Dreieskiva, on trust models in leadership:

1. The Nine Habits of Trust — Practical daily behaviors that grow trust
2. The 3 Cs Model of Trust — Competence, Character, Connection
3. The Five Dimensions of Trust — Honesty, Respect, Fairness, Openness, Reliability
4. The Trust Equation — Credibility, Reliability, Vulnerability, Ego
5. 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.