Rachel Botsman

I imagine the Doris saga was in part how I first took a deep interest in understanding trust. Thinking back on it, my dad told me the decision to trust Doris came down to convenience. My parents were busy people with busy jobs. It was more convenient to keep Doris than to find a different solution. It's easy to dismiss or laugh at my dad's reasoning. But haven't we all done that?

I imagine the Doris saga was in part how I first took a deep interest in understanding trust. Thinking back on it, my dad told me the decision to trust Doris came down to convenience. My parents were busy people with busy jobs. It was more convenient to keep Doris than to find a different solution. It's easy to dismiss or laugh at my dad's reasoning. But haven't we all done that?

Not hire a dodgy nanny, of course, but make a trust decision or continue to trust someone based on convenience. Like when you tell yourself, I know that company isn't entirely ethical. They don't treat their employees well, but their service, it makes my life a little easier. So I'll just carry on using them.

Not hire a dodgy nanny, of course, but make a trust decision or continue to trust someone based on convenience. Like when you tell yourself, I know that company isn't entirely ethical. They don't treat their employees well, but their service, it makes my life a little easier. So I'll just carry on using them.

Or perhaps you're under pressure to get something done, so you conveniently delegate a piece of work to a person when you know they shouldn't really be doing it. Convenience so often trumps trust. Understanding the power convenience has over trust has been one of the most important things I've learned about being a trust giver. Let's try another exercise.

Or perhaps you're under pressure to get something done, so you conveniently delegate a piece of work to a person when you know they shouldn't really be doing it. Convenience so often trumps trust. Understanding the power convenience has over trust has been one of the most important things I've learned about being a trust giver. Let's try another exercise.

Think of the last time you made a poor or very bad trust decision at work. Did you blame it on the character of the other person? They turned out to be unreliable, incompetent, dishonest, or you fill in the blank. Someone's character plays a critical role, but what we often overlook is the importance of having the right information.

Think of the last time you made a poor or very bad trust decision at work. Did you blame it on the character of the other person? They turned out to be unreliable, incompetent, dishonest, or you fill in the blank. Someone's character plays a critical role, but what we often overlook is the importance of having the right information.

As the social scientist Diego Gambetta puts it, trust has two enemies, not one. Bad character and poor information. So the next time you find yourself making an important trust decision, I'd recommend asking yourself these three questions. One, what trust signals am I tuning into? Two, am I trusting this person out of convenience? And three, am I making this trust decision too quickly?

As the social scientist Diego Gambetta puts it, trust has two enemies, not one. Bad character and poor information. So the next time you find yourself making an important trust decision, I'd recommend asking yourself these three questions. One, what trust signals am I tuning into? Two, am I trusting this person out of convenience? And three, am I making this trust decision too quickly?

Now, let's look at something else that influences what trust signals we pay attention to. Our gut. My dad's gut told him that a nanny who seemed bland was a safe one. His gut told him that blandness was a good trust signal. But our gut feeling or intuition is rarely the source of trustworthy decisions.

Now, let's look at something else that influences what trust signals we pay attention to. Our gut. My dad's gut told him that a nanny who seemed bland was a safe one. His gut told him that blandness was a good trust signal. But our gut feeling or intuition is rarely the source of trustworthy decisions.

For Maria Konnikova, the expert in distrust, there's a common saying about this that's a real pet peeve.

For Maria Konnikova, the expert in distrust, there's a common saying about this that's a real pet peeve.

So let me share with you something from my research that has made me think differently about the role of gut feeling in giving trust. Gut feeling is not the decision maker, but a decision driver. So use your intuition, but challenge it with other information to make sure it's accurate. Here's how this might come up in your job.

So let me share with you something from my research that has made me think differently about the role of gut feeling in giving trust. Gut feeling is not the decision maker, but a decision driver. So use your intuition, but challenge it with other information to make sure it's accurate. Here's how this might come up in your job.

When you're thinking about how to have a difficult conversation with a colleague, or when you're taking a brief from a potential client and you're not entirely sure what they do. And of course, when you're hiring someone new, don't let your gut make the trust decision.

When you're thinking about how to have a difficult conversation with a colleague, or when you're taking a brief from a potential client and you're not entirely sure what they do. And of course, when you're hiring someone new, don't let your gut make the trust decision.

Instead of making important trust decisions in seconds, Maria recommends going by the old mantra that former President Ronald Reagan was so fond of, trust but verify.

Instead of making important trust decisions in seconds, Maria recommends going by the old mantra that former President Ronald Reagan was so fond of, trust but verify.