1

Assessments of Trust – adapted from model by Alan Sieler

In families, friendships, teams, schools, organisations and other entities,

TRUST is:

the glue that holds relationships together; the emotional lubricant of organisations

an assessment about how well another or others are likely to take care of our concerns

Assessments of Trust Questions to ask Myself Engaging with Others

Sincerity – People are assessedto be genuine in what they say; i.e. there is a consistency between what they say publicly and what they are saying privately (thinking)

• Am I being genuine in what I am saying and doing?

• Does what I say to others represent what I think inside?

• Is what I say consistently in line with what I think?

• What do I usually look and listen for to assess other peoples’ sincerity

• When is the sincerity of others critical in me building a trusting relationship?

• How do I assess others’ sincerity over time?

Competence – An assessment that people have the skills and abilities to carry out what they say they will do

• Do I have the skills required to do this?

• Am I prepared to admit that I am unable to do something due to a lack of skills or abilities?

• How will I know whether others are suitably skilled or not?

• Do I give others a fair chance to show me their skills and abilities?

Reliability – An assessment that there is a consistent match between what people say they will do and what they produce, especially in relation to time and standards

• Can I deliver this on time and up to standard?

• Do people trust me to deliver consistently according to agreed timeframes and quality standards?

• What is important to him/her regarding time and standards?

• What do we need to agree together to ensure I am seen as being reliable?

• What does reliability mean to him/her?

Involvement – An assessment that others are attentive and accepting of what is important for us; they are “fully there” for us and likely to give matters the priority we require

• Am I really going to prioritise this?• How am I going to involve myself in

order to build trust?• How will I know when I am “fully there”

in a particular situation/relationship?

• What behaviours do I look for in others to confirm their involvement to myself?

• How can I make sure that others understand what is important for me?

• Am I helping them to be “fully there”?

2

Use this template for the Assessment of your Trust

Assessments of Trust Questions to ask Myself Engaging with Others

Sincerity – People are assessedto be genuine in what they say; i.e. there is a consistency between what they say publicly and what they are saying privately (thinking)

Competence – An assessment that people have the skills and abilities to carry out what they say they will do

Reliability – An assessment that there is a consistent match between what people say they will do and what they produce, especially in relation to time and standards

Involvement – An assessment that others are attentive and accepting of what is important for us; they are “fully there” for us and likely to give matters the priority we require