Building a Trust Index Framework

🔑 Trust at Work: A Framework, Not a Gamble As founders, we often struggle with trust. Even when someone is smart, says all the right things, and delivers well, there’s still that inner fear: “Can I truly rely on them?” Over time, I’ve realised trust doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. It can be structured. Here’s how I approach it: 🌱 Three Levels of Trust 1️⃣ Task Trust (Baseline) - Small, clear deliverables. 2️⃣ Ownership Trust (Conditional) - Larger areas with milestones and reviews. 3️⃣ Strategic Trust (Earned) - Core responsibilities with minimal oversight. No one starts at Level 3. Trust is graduated, earned step by step. ⚙️ The Trust Contract Crystal-clear expectations Transparent accountability (dashboards, reviews) Shared understanding of what “trust” means in each role 🚦 Trust Signals Green flags: consistency, proactive updates, no surprises Red flags: missed deadlines without explanation, hiding bad news Instead of distrusting by default, respond to the signals. 🏗️ Building on Principles & Foundations Building a business with strong principles and a solid foundation seems difficult in today’s world. But if you design trust this way - structured, earned, and transparent - you protect the downside, reward consistency, and create a culture where truth travels fast. Do this well, and you’ll build a much stronger business that doesn’t just grow in the short term, but flourishes for the long term. 👉 Do you design trust in your organisation, or rely on instinct alone?

Trust is not a feeling.. it is more of a system. In the art of gathering information through human sources and interpersonal communications (HUMINT), you need to BUILD TRUST with your assets and sources. That's obvious. And when you're handling a large network of assets and sources, it can become complex. Same things apply in business and networking. When I transitioned into business myself, I applied the principles and methods I've learned from my past experiences: - I mapped my network - I built relationships but I also classified them. ➡️ Who can you trust? You can't leave it to chance. So you assess, test, and qualify. And if you’re serious about surrounding yourself with high-value people, you should too. ➡️ The 5-step trust framework from HUMINT 1. Reliability: do they deliver? A: Always reliable B: Mostly reliable C: Sometimes reliable D: Known for inaccuracies 2. Access: do they really know what they claim? - Direct access: first-hand experience. - Indirect access: Knows someone who was there. - Speculative: guesswork, rumors, or assumptions. 3. Motivation (MICE): why are they helping you? - Money: are they transactional? - Ideology: do they believe in the same mission? - Coercion: are they pressured to comply? - Ego: are they helping for validation or status? If you don’t understand why someone is offering you something, you’re already compromised. 5. Handling relationships A valuable connection needs to be MAINTAINED. People need to be nurtured, managed, and continuously assessed. Because whether you’re closing deals, hiring talent, or forming partnerships, you need to know who’s solid, who’s weak, and who’s a liability. If you already implemented background checks or profilings, don't forget that they should be LIVING documents. Constantly evolving with the relationship. Can you detect liars easily? https://lnkd.in/d3sHptji 🪬 PS: If you’re new here, I’m Oriane, founder of OC Strategic Advisory (OCSA). I help leaders navigate the Grey Zone and complex environments using intelligence. X: @ocstrategic

Here's a helpful framework I use with leadership teams who want to fix trust issues in their culture. You have to look at four intersecting dimensions of trust: - Trust in YOURSELF: when do you trust yourself to take risks? - Trust in OTHERS: when do you find it easy to hand over control to others? - Others Trust in YOU: in what situations do people trust you and when do they withhold trust? - Trust OUTSIDE: when do external stakeholders trust you and when do they question decisions? These questions conducted across organisations can produce revealing trust ‘heat maps’ of what is happening in your culture.