The Three C’s of Trust for CEOs: Character, Communication, and Capability
Summary
Dr Michelle Reina argues that trust is the energetic force behind collaboration, innovation and performance. Trust starts with self-trust and is earned through observable behaviour. Reina and colleagues present the Reina Dimensions of Trust — the Three Cs — as a behavioural blueprint CEOs can use to build and sustain trust across organisations.
The Three Cs are:
Key Points
- Trust of Character (reliability): do you keep promises, align words with actions and set clear boundaries?
- Trust of Communication (honesty & transparency): are you willing to speak the truth, listen deeply and create a safe space for tough conversations?
- Trust of Capability (skills & potential): do you acknowledge others’ abilities, involve them in decisions and support development?
- Consistency is the common thread — steady, repeatable behaviours sustain trust over time.
- As CEO you model standards: naming pressure, inviting honest dialogue and demonstrating faith in the team guides the organisation through challenge.
- Framework sourced from the authors’ forthcoming book, The Art of Trust Building (Jan 2026), and three decades of research and practise.
Content summary
The article opens with a vivid portrait of what high-trust meetings feel like — energy, risk-taking and shared purpose — contrasted with the contracting effects of mistrust: silos, suspicion and stalled projects. It then locates trust in the individual (self-trust) and shows how that inner capacity translates into outward behaviours that others can rely on.
Each of the Three Cs is described with its core focus and practical behaviours: Character centres on reliability and follow-through; Communication on truth-telling, transparency and listening; Capability on recognising skills, empowering others and encouraging growth. The piece emphasises that trust must be actively maintained and that leaders’ actions ripple through an organisation.
Context and relevance
This is directly relevant to senior leaders focused on culture, performance and change. In an era of hybrid teams, rapid change and heightened scrutiny, a simple behavioural framework for trust helps translate abstract values into day-to-day actions. The Three Cs align with broader trends — psychological safety, people-centred leadership and capability development — making the framework timely for boards and executive teams setting cultural priorities.
Why should I read this?
Short version: if you lead people, this gives you a tidy, practical map you can use tomorrow. It’s not fluff — it’s a behaviour-first approach that tells you exactly what to do (and what not to do) to keep teams engaged and productive. Quick to scan, easy to apply, and worth a bookmark for leadership reviews and board discussions.
Author style
Punchy — research-backed and directly actionable. Dr Michelle Reina distils decades of trust research into crisp behaviours rather than vague platitudes, so the piece reads like a playbook for leaders rather than a theory lecture. If you care about culture or run a leadership team, treat this as essential reading.
