Book Review—The Trifecta of Trust by Joseph R. Folkman
The Proven Formula for Building and Restoring Trust
The Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF): Establishing and maintaining trust relies on three key elements — expertise, consistency, and relationships.
Executive Summary
It does not matter how smart or innovative a leader is; if they are not trusted, they will not be effective. The data shows that of all the attributes leaders must display and exemplify, establishing trust within their organizations is at the top of the list. While trust is necessary to become an effective leader, many find it difficult to attain, and for those who do, many lose it and never regain it. Establishing trust is a complex process, but when examined from afar, it boils down to doing three things exceptionally well: demonstrating expertise, being consistent, and developing meaningful relationships. The Trifecta of Trust is not merely an observational book; it is rooted in data analysis. Regardless of culture, industry, race, or gender, those who master the core behaviors of trust are more appreciated, loved, successful, and valued.
The Content
Trust is the foundation of effective leadership, yet many leaders are blind to how much — or how little — they are actually trusted. Research shows that one in four leaders is unaware of their trust deficits. To address this, the most accurate way to assess perceptions of trust is through a 360-degree feedback assessment. Drawing on thousands of these assessments, the author has identified five critical dimensions of leadership that support trust: character, focus on results, interpersonal skills, personal capability, and leading change.
The impact of trust within organizations is profound and measurable. High-trust environments produce stronger employee engagement and well-being: 40% less burnout, 66% greater collegiality, 50% higher productivity, 13% fewer sick days, 106% more energy, 70% stronger alignment with organizational purpose, 17% higher compensation, and 29% greater life satisfaction. In contrast, low-trust environments suffer from disengagement, higher turnover, and deteriorating performance.
Trust acts as a performance multiplier, akin to salt — it enhances everything it touches. It empowers employees to contribute discretionary effort and amplifies the effectiveness of all other leadership competencies. Leaders rated highest in trust consistently lead teams that are willing to go above and beyond. Trust, according to the author, is built on three main pillars: expertise, consistency, and positive relationships. Even modestly above-average scores in all three can position a leader in the 80th percentile for trustworthiness.
1. Expertise. Expertise doesn’t mean knowing everything; it means demonstrating sound judgment, problem-solving ability, and strategic awareness. Trusted leaders model behavior, anticipate challenges, connect tasks to broader goals, and keep their teams informed. While technical mastery is useful, good judgment in the face of uncertainty builds credibility. Arrogance or pretending to know more than one does undermines this pillar and erodes trust.
2. Consistency. Inconsistency is a trust killer. Expertise alone cannot overcome a leader’s failure to follow through. Trusted leaders deliver on their commitments, and, more importantly, they manage those commitments wisely — avoiding overpromising or taking on tasks they can’t complete. They uphold high standards and remain reliable over time. Even a single slip-up can jeopardize years of consistency, making this pillar fragile yet essential.
3. Positive Relationships. Perhaps the most difficult yet most impactful element of trust is relationship-building. If others don’t like or feel connected to a leader, their expertise and reliability won’t matter. Positive relationships are built through coaching, inspiring, collaborating, and inviting feedback. Many leaders mistakenly maintain emotional distance out of fear — believing that closeness will make it hard to provide tough feedback or maintain authority. However, data shows that strong professional relationships actually enhance a leader’s ability to be candid and respected.
Building trust requires urgency and awareness. Leaders must remain vigilant for behaviors that erode trust, such as resisting feedback, tolerating unresolved conflict, micromanaging, pushing results without empathy, ignoring individual contributions, and operating in isolation. Trust suffers when communication breaks down or when a culture discourages open debate and collaboration.
Teams that trust each other significantly outperform those that do not. Dysfunctional teams often exhibit predictable traits: poor execution, low praise, frequent blame-shifting, excessive scrutiny, and deep cynicism. While reversing a breakdown of trust within a team takes time, there are specific, proven strategies for achieving this — beginning with modeling the three pillars of trust at the leadership level.
Feedback, both given and received, plays a central role in maintaining trust. Leaders must demonstrate openness to feedback and provide feedback that is constructive, relevant, and supportive. Constant negative feedback, even if intended to improve performance, corrodes trust by undermining relationships, damaging consistency, and casting doubt on the leader’s judgment. The best leaders help those receiving feedback feel supported and believed in, not judged.
Trust can be lost, but it can also be rebuilt. Leaders lose trust when they contradict themselves, claim expertise they do not possess, act independently without consideration for others, or reject feedback. To restore trust, the author outlines twelve actions that require deliberate effort, emotional intelligence, and patience. These actions focus on rebuilding damaged relationships, aligning actions with words, seeking honest feedback, and re-establishing transparency and dependability.
Ultimately, trust is not merely a soft leadership trait — it is a measurable, teachable, and vital component of leadership effectiveness. It drives team performance, organizational health, and employee well-being. As the author concludes, every person deserves a leader they can trust — and every leader must earn that trust through daily action.
Ten insightful quotes from the book
1. “It doesn’t matter how smart you are or how revolutionary your ideas are, but it does matter if your people do not trust you.” — Page 4
A foundational reminder that trust is the gateway to influence and execution.
2. “Trust is a lot like salt. It doesn’t necessarily add new flavor on its own, but it enhances everything it touches.” — Page 17
A powerful metaphor capturing trust’s amplifying role in leadership and teamwork.
3. “The far-reaching effects of a lack of trust can destroy a career and significantly damage your organization.” — Page 15
Highlights the high stakes of neglecting trust in leadership.
4. “It is not your position that diminishes trust; it is how you behave in the position.” — Page 104
A key insight into accountability and integrity in leadership roles.
5. “Confidence can magnify trust, but only when a person’s confidence matches up with their competence.” — Page 128
Speaks directly to the importance of authenticity and credibility.
6. “No matter how talented you are, your level of effectiveness depends heavily on your ability to gain trust and include others.” — Page 78
Links personal capability with interpersonal trust as the true measure of effectiveness.
7. “When trust is lost, effectiveness is gone, direct reports are disengaged, and many people are looking for a way out.” — Page 136
Captures the organizational consequences of eroded trust.
8. “Many people assume they are trusted when they are not.” — Page 160
A sobering call for self-awareness and feedback-seeking behavior.
9. “Those who continue to ask for feedback throughout their career end up being more trusted.” — Page 140
Underscores the trust-building power of humility and continuous improvement.
10. “Trust is built by letting others know you are on their side.” — Page 158
Summarizes the emotional foundation of relational trust in leadership.
The wrap-up: why you should read The Trifecta of Trust
For current and aspiring leaders, building trust may seem like common sense — but as Joe Folkman’s book reveals, it’s far from simple. Drawing on thousands of hours of data-driven research, Folkman makes a compelling case that trust is both difficult to earn and essential for long-term leadership success. His work highlights the immense value of the three foundational pillars of trust — expertise, consistency, and relationship-building — and demonstrates how these elements directly correlate with high-performing teams.
What makes this book especially powerful is its evidence-based approach. It’s not built on anecdote or opinion; rather, it’s rooted in hard data that uncovers how trust drives engagement, productivity, and retention. Equally eye-opening are the frequent and often overlooked behaviors that damage trust — arrogance, finger-pointing, micromanagement, and cynicism — which can quietly destroy morale and drive talent away.
The book isn’t just diagnostic — it’s instructive. It equips leaders with practical tools, particularly on using 360-degree feedback effectively, providing insight into when and how to use feedback tools and explaining why they matter. Readers are also guided on how trust can be rebuilt after it’s been broken, making this a valuable resource for those seeking redemption or growth in their leadership journey.
Importantly, the book serves as a mirror for self-reflection. It challenges leaders to critically evaluate their behaviors, particularly those who may lean toward overconfidence, control, or emotional distance. If you’ve experienced team turnover, disengagement, or trust issues, this book may be the wake-up call you need. For anyone serious about growing as a leader and creating a high-trust culture, this is a must-read — insightful, impactful, and deeply relevant.
With that, thanks for reading!
About the book’s author
Joe Folkman is a globally renowned psychometrician, best-selling author, and speaker on leadership, feedback, and organizational change. He designs unique surveys and assessments utilizing a database comprised of over a million assessments on over 100,000+ leaders. His clients include several Fortune 100 firms, and the diversity of industries and business models has provided him with a powerful learning opportunity and an exceptional research base. Joe’s writings and research have been featured frequently in several publications, including Harvard Business Review, Forbes, The New York Times, CLO, Business Insider, and The Wall Street Journal.
Follow Joseph R. Folkman on LinkedIn
Book details:
Publisher: River Grove Books (May 27, 2022)
ISBN-10: 163299528X
ISBN-13: 978–1632995285
FOUND THIS POST USEFUL? PLEASE SUPPORT MY WORK.
Reading is one of my passions, and I hope you find this book review insightful! As a leader and educator, I love learning and sharing. With each book I read and summarize, I consider how its content can be applied to teams and organizations, searching for resonant elements such as impactful quotes while discerning who the ideal readers are. I seek opportunities to implement what I’ve learned from each book and share that knowledge to improve myself, my teams, colleagues, peers, and those pursuing personal and professional growth alongside me. I write these reviews partly because I love to read and write, but also to share leadership lessons. While I often either know the authors personally or have developed a relationship with them post-review, nothing about this process is sponsored or previewed. As the book reviewer, I am not paid to write reviews nor influenced in how I write them. The process requires hours of reading and reflection, making it a significant undertaking, so I truly appreciate everyone who takes the time to like my content and subscribe to follow it.
