What exactly do we mean when we say we trust a business or organisation?
The ABI model of trust
For decades, researchers have studied how trust develops between people and organisations. One of the most influential theoretical foundations is the Ability-Integrity-Benevolence (ABI) model, introduced in 1995 [1].
The ABI model became the foundation for much of modern trust research. It identified three key dimensions that affect whether someone (the trustor) chooses to trust another party:
- Ability: the belief that the other party is competent within their domain of expertise.
- Benevolence: the belief that the other party wants to help and will not act purely out of self-interest.
- Integrity: the belief that the other party consistently acts according to a set of principles the trustor finds acceptable.
This model has since been applied in a wide range of contexts, from leadership and management to healthcare, education, and online commerce. It provides the theoretical backbone for most practical approaches to understanding how trust forms, how it can be maintained, and how it can be repaired.
Trustworthiness
John Blakey [2] proposes a simple formula for trustworthiness:
Trustworthiness = Ability × Benevolence × Integrity
The formula highlights that trust isn’t additive but multiplicative. If any one of the three elements is absent or very low, overall trustworthiness will also be low, even if the other factors are strong.
Conversely, when all three are high and working together, trustworthiness increases dramatically.
The Trust Triangle
A more recent and widely cited version of the ABI model is the Trust Triangle model [3] which defines three core drivers of trust:
- Logic: “I have faith in your judgement and competence.”
- Empathy: “I feel you care about me.”
- Authenticity: “I am interacting with the real you.”
The authors explain that when trust is lost, it can almost always be traced back to a breakdown in one of these three drivers.
The Trust Triangle translates the ABI model into more relatable terms. Each of the three drivers corresponds to a component of the ABI model:
- Logic corresponds to ability
- Empathy corresponds to benevolence
- Authenticity corresponds to integrity
While the ABI model offers analytical precision suited to research, the Trust Triangle focuses on how trust feels and functions in real interactions. It gives leaders and professionals a language they can use, especially in communication, service, and relationship-building contexts.
The Trust Trifecta
The Frei and Morriss framework (logic, empathy, authenticity) was later adapted by Julia E. Moore and Sobia Khan to become the “Trust Trifecta” model. The principles are the same, but the terminology is slightly different:
- Competence (instead of logic)
- Connection (instead of empathy)
- Authenticity.
Why the Trust Trifecta is helpful for expertise-based businesses
The Trust Trifecta (competence, connection, authenticity) is both academically grounded and practically accessible. It links established theory with the way people actually experience trust.
For expertise-based businesses, it provides a simple diagnostic lens:
- If prospects doubt your competence, they won’t believe you can do the work.
- If they don’t feel an emotional connection with you, they won’t feel comfortable engaging you.
- If they doubt your authenticity, they won’t believe what you say.
In essence, the model reminds us that trust in an expertise-based business is not established by logic alone. Prospects decide with both the head and the heart.
Before they become clients, prospects must first believe three things: you can do the work, you care about them, and you mean what you say.
Building trust with prospects using the Trust Trifecta
The competence–connection–authenticity model offers a practical way to assess how an expertise-based business builds trust with prospects before they become clients.
Competence
Do prospects believe the business can deliver what it promises? Before engaging you, people look for signs that you’re capable and reliable. They notice experience with similar clients, examples of previous work, testimonials, qualifications, guarantees, and the way you explain what you do.
Connection
Do prospects feel you genuinely care about them? Connection is about forming an emotional bond. It comes from feeling understood. Whereas competence is proven by describing your business, connection grows when you focus on the prospect.
Connection develops when you show you understand the client’s problem, their perspective, and how they feel. It can also be strengthened through stories, people-focused language, and relatable imagery.
Authenticity
Do prospects believe what the business says? The website may be beautiful and say all the right things, but does it sound too good to be true? Does it come across as exaggerated or fake? People may assume the worst.
A reliable way to show authenticity is through transparency: reveal what’s behind the website and the brand. Sharing real examples, showing the team, and using natural rather than scripted language all signal authenticity. When prospects believe they’re seeing the real business, they’re far more likely to trust it.
[1] Mayer, R. C., Davis, J. H., & Schoorman, F. D. (1995). An integrative model of organizational trust. Academy of Management Review
[2] Blakey, J. (2020). The trusted executive: Nine leadership habits that inspire results, relationships, and reputation. Kogan Page.
[3] Frei, F., & Morriss, A. (2020). Begin with trust. Harvard Business Review, 98 (3), 112–121.
