The Trusted Leader: Understanding the Trust Triangle

Introduction

Without trust, no relationship can survive, let alone thrive.

Above all others, leaders must understand how trust

works, what its components are, how to build trust, and

how you can lose trust.

The basic research for this book goes back more than

2,000 years to the seminal writings of Aristotle, perhaps

one of the greatest minds of all times. Aristotle posited that

for speakers to be credible and trustworthy, they had to

have three characteristics—Good Character, Good Sense

and Good Will.

1. Good Character was central to credibility in Aris-

totle’s schema and is the basis for what I call The Trust

Triangle. And central to character is honesty. The sim-

ple question we all ask ourselves when we meet

someone new, especially ...