Being trustworthy—an integral part of getting real—requires more than following a behavioral checklist; it requires underlying mindsets, outlooks, and ways of thinking that we have to get right.

The Trust Equation is a deconstructive, analytical model of trustworthiness. It includes four variables: credibility, reliability, intimacy, and self-orientation.

At The Get Real Project, we’re fond of saying, “No risk, no trust, no doubt about it.”Personal risk-taking has the potential to turn ordinary relationships into extraordinary ones. Unfortunately, most people in business operate in the mode of “less is more.”

Real relationships require trust and trust requires personal risk-taking. Those who tend to avoid risk lose priceless trust-building opportunities, while those who master risk-taking as a skill learn to employ what is paradoxically the greatest risk-mitigation strategy.