Trust Mechanics

Trust has mechanics. We ought to enjoy that, I suppose, as game-players. (Or game-likers, as Tim Rogers would say.) It’s certainly good news for those of us who want more of it.

My understanding of these “mechanics of trust” comes from the trust equation (AKA the trust quotient.) I learned about it in my courses at The Flourishing Center.

(This is all stuff to do with my business life and it’s maybe a little strange that it’s intersecting with my hobby life here, but I’m just gonna go with with it.)

The Trust Equation was created by the three individuals – David H. Maister, Robert Galford, and Charles Green – who wrote The Trusted Advisor.

The trust equation looks like this…

At least it does when I’m the one making the graphic. (With spot art by Amanda Lee Franck.)

They sometimes call it “The Trustworthiness Quotient.” The Trusted Advisor group suggest using it as a self-diagnostic. You get points in the numerator (the top) for credibility plus reliability plus intimacy. (Intimacy = emotional security.) But all of that goodness is divided by (the denominator) your self-orientation. In other words, a lot of good work and intentions can be significantly undone by making yourself the center of the universe.

Here’s a pretty good video →

Next step: Let’s mull this over. How does this show up in our RPGing sessions?