Trust Formula | Sean Magennis

Throughout my 30 years working with entrepreneurs, CEOs, and organizations worldwide, I’ve seen firsthand how trust transforms possibilities… and while we’re often taught to think of trust as an abstract idea, it’s actually a lot more practical, measurable, and transformative than we’ve been led to believe…

What Makes Trust Work?

The Trust Formula emerged from my work moderating confidential forum groups at EO and YPO. In these high-stakes environments, members share their most challenging business and personal issues, creating a natural laboratory for observing what builds or erodes trust. Working with five colleagues, I identified consistent patterns that determined whether trust flourished or failed, distilling these observations into a practical framework: :

Trust = Credibility + Reliability + Adaptability + Vulnerability – Ego

Each element of The Trust Formula addresses a fundamental human need in working relationships: the need for truth, consistency, flexibility, authenticity, and genuine collaboration. By understanding these elements and the specific ways they show up (or don’t show up) in our professional lives, we can diagnose where trust breaks down and repair those specific areas.

Strengthen Your Team’s Trust

The Elements of Trust:
An Overview

01 Credibility

02 Reliability

03 Adaptability

04 Vulnerability

05 Minus Ego

Credibility means your words and actions align. It's built through:

Transparent communication about intentions and expectations
Technical competence in your field or role
Consistent ethical behavior, especially when difficult
Accountability when things don't go as planned

When credibility is strong, people waste less energy questioning motives or verifying information. They make decisions more quickly and focus on the work itself rather than politics or positioning.

Reliability creates predictability in an unpredictable world. It manifests as:

Consistency between what you say and what you do
Punctuality with time and deadlines
Following through on commitments without reminders
Creating systems that ensure consistency across an organization

Organizations with high reliability spend less time managing exceptions and more time driving progress. Teams operate with greater autonomy because expectations are clear and consistently met.

Adaptability balances stability with necessary change. It requires:

Openness to new information that challenges existing views
Willingness to change course when circumstances require it
Ability to adjust methods while maintaining commitment to purpose
Comfort with ambiguity and uncertainty

Teams versed in adaptability recover more quickly from setbacks, identify opportunities earlier, and implement innovations faster than their more rigid counterparts.

Vulnerability creates authentic connection and psychological safety. It includes:

Admitting knowledge gaps instead of bluffing
Asking for help when needed
Acknowledging mistakes promptly
Sharing appropriate personal insights that humanize relationships

Organizations that embrace vulnerability waste less energy on impression management and spend more on solving real problems. They identify and address issues earlier because people feel safe raising concerns.

Subtracting ego shifts focus from self to service. This means:

Prioritizing team success over personal recognition
Listening genuinely rather than waiting to speak
Accepting feedback without defensiveness
Celebrating others' accomplishments wholeheartedly

When ego decreases, collaboration increases. Information flows more freely, and the best ideas win–regardless of who or where they came from.

The Trust Formula in Action

Implementing the Trust Formula involves a structured approach that helps organizations identify and strengthen specific trust components. The process typically includes assessment, education, practice, and integration. Teams learn to recognize trust gaps, develop shared language around trust elements, practice new behaviors in safe environments, and ultimately embed trust-building practices into their operational systems.

Rather than focusing on temporary interventions, this work creates sustainable patterns that continue to strengthen over time, allowing organizations to develop their own unique expressions of the formula.

Why This Matters Now

Several specific factors make trust-based leadership essential today:

These days, command-and-control leadership is failing because it assumes leaders have better information than those closest to the work–an assumption that no longer holds true in most industries. It also creates bottlenecks where decisions wait for approval, slowing organizations in environments that demand speed.

Distributed Teams

With teams spread across time zones and cultures, traditional oversight is impossible. Organizations must choose between paralyzing micromanagement or building trust-based accountability systems that allow work to continue across distance and time.

Accelerating Change

When market conditions shift weekly rather than yearly, organizations need employees who can respond immediately without waiting for permission. This autonomous decision-making only works when people deeply understand organizational priorities and trust exists in both directions.

Talent Expectations

Today's professionals, particularly knowledge workers, join and leave organizations primarily based on culture rather than compensation. Trust-based environments create the conditions where talent thrives and chooses to stay.

Knowledge Specialization

As work becomes more specialized, leaders cannot possibly understand all aspects of the tasks they oversee. They must trust experts within their organizations while ensuring those experts understand their broader goals.

Stakeholder Complexity

Organizations answer to diverse stakeholders: from customers and employees to communities and regulators. Navigating these competing interests requires trusted teams who can make nuanced decisions aligned with company values.

Let’s talk about what matters most

Whether you’re navigating growth challenges, considering leadership transitions, or building more meaningful connections within your team, I welcome the conversation and opportunity to collaborate. Share what’s on your mind, and let’s figure out how I might help you achieve your most important goals.

Connect With Me

The Trust Formula