ABCD of Trust Model

The Ken Blanchard Companies created the ABCD Trust Model.

Leaders build trust when they are:

Able

Being able is about demonstrating competence. Ability leaders gain trust by demonstrating task knowledge, performance results, and facilitation skills. They show good planning and problem-solving skills. They also show coaching and feedback skills.

Believe

A believable leader acts with integrity. They gain trust by honesty, values and fair process. Believable leaders tell the truth, admit their mistakes, accept others and do not judge. They also act ethically and legally, create win-win solutions, keep confidences, avoid gossips, and are consistent in words and needs.

Connected

Connected leaders show care and concern for people. They gain trust by communicating, recognizing people’s work, and showing interest to their team members. Connected leaders have good communication skills and are good listeners.

Dependable

Dependable leaders gain trust by responsiveness, accountability, and organization. Doing what you say you are going to do is a key for dependable leaders. They keep promises, make timely decision, provide performance reviews on time, and reward others’ performance fairly. Dependable leaders also demonstrate strong organizational skills and strong project management skills.