Trust is the heart of your performance at work.

Here's what 186 hours studying trust taught me about building genuine connections:

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The Building Blocks of Trust
(backed by neuroscience)

➊ First impressions form in milliseconds
⤷ You've already made judgments before conscious thought kicks in

➋ Your prefrontal cortex weighs every risk
⤷ It's constantly evaluating if someone is safe to trust

➌ Your brain releases oxytocin during positive interactions
⤷ Building a genuine connection starts in your nervous system

I found Brené Brown’s work to be the most helpful in understanding how we can be more trustworthy to others.

BRAVING is her framework for creating deep trust:

⤷ Boundaries
Set clear limits and respect others' boundaries
Be clear about what's ok and what's not

⤷ Reliability
Do what you say you'll do
Don't overcommit or overpromise

⤷ Accountability
Own your mistakes
Apologize when needed
Make amends when possible

⤷ Vault
Keep confidences
Don't share what isn't yours to share
Protect private information

⤷ Integrity
Choose courage over comfort
Stand up for your values
Practice what you preach

⤷ Non-judgment
Ask for help without fear
Give help without conditions
Create safe spaces to be vulnerable

⤷ Generosity
Assume positive intent
Extend grace in tough moments
Give others the benefit of the doubt

The beauty of BRAVING?

You can use it to:
→ Build stronger teams
→ Deepen relationships
→ Make hard decisions
→ Navigate difficult conversations

Trust is built in the small moments, not in the grand gestures.