Trust: Post #1--Overview

Overview: David DeSteno's six rules of trust founded in experimentation: 1) Trust is risky but necessary. We need to use trust every day and rely on our instincts. 2) Trust permeates our lives. Trust is about integrity and competence, at work, with friends and at home. 3) Consider motives, not just reputation. One’s motivations in the instant are a more reliable predictor of trustworthiness than reputation of past. 4) Pay attention to clusters of nonverbals. Using the cues of crossed arms, leaning away, touching the face and hands—in constellation—can reliably predict untrustworthiness. 5) Appreciate the benefits of illusion. Best to err on the side of trusting your loved ones—though not always accurate, it preserves long-term relationship. 6) Cultivate trust from the bottom up. Most of us rely on top-down “willpower” to resist untrustworthy behavior. We also need to learn to read nonverbals—trust from the bottom up.

The Truth About Trust: How it Determines Success in Life, Love, Learning, and More (Hudson Street Press/Penguin Group, NY, 2014) by David DeSteno and reviewed by Steve Gladis.