Blanchard's ABCD Model of Trust

Do you trust your colleagues? I mean, really trust them?

Trust is an essential part of all our relationships, and it's especially important in teams. Imagine, for example, how deeply firefighters need to trust one another.

These men and women put their lives in the hands of their team mates and leaders every day. Without trust, they would waste time second-guessing every command. They'd never be able to respond with the speed and certainty needed to save lives, and they couldn't function as a team.

Your job may not involve life-and-death situations, but trust is still essential for a high-performing team. Trust allows you to collaborate freely with your coworkers, it gives you the confidence you need to come up with creative and innovative ideas, and it helps you achieve far more than you ever could alone.

In this article, we'll look at the ABCD Model of Trust, which highlights the four behaviors needed to foster trust. We'll then explore ways to strengthen each of these behaviors and develop bonds of trust within your personal and professional relationships....