These are the slides from a 30 minute discussion about how we might think about trust building in the context of stakeholder engagement activities. Key argument is to recognize why we want people to see us in certain ways and then to recognize the dimensions of 'people perceptions.' Ultimately, strategy is needed to prioritize and implement procedures that ensure that we self-present in the way we want to be seen.

1. Three Questions about
Trust and Trustworthiness
John C. Besley
Ellis N. Brandt Professor
Communication Arts and Sciences
Michigan State University
This material is based upon
work supported by the National
Science Foundation (NSF, Grant
AISL 1421214-1421723. Any
opinions, findings, conclusions,
or recommendations expressed
in this material are those of the
authors and do not necessarily
reflect the views of the NSF.

2. What I hope to do ...
• Help you think systematically ‘people perceptions’
(a.k.a.: trustworthiness/fairness beliefs, relationship factors, reputation, etc.)
What I can’t do ...
• Decide what you should do next

3. 1. Why do ‘people perceptions’ matter?
2. How do you want to be perceived?
3. What can you do to (re)shape perceptions?
Behavioral
Goals
Communication
Objectives
Tactics

4. The goal question:
Why do ‘people perceptions’ matter?
a) We tend to pay more attention to
people we see as trustworthy and fair;
b) We tend to cooperate with people and
accept decisions when made by people
we see as trustworthy and fair
c) People tend to share insight with
people they see as trustworthy and fair
1.

5. 1. The communication objectives question:
How do you want to be perceived?

6. The communication objectives question:
How do you want to be perceived?
Honest Caring Willing to listen Similar Competent
Smile, eparles; Listen, Montse PB; Charlotte, Sisters 4; Lindsay Bremer, Lamu Kenya: Stonetown Academy Suggestion Box, State Farm, Graduation & Safe Driving, all via Flickr Creative Commons
2.
[Together, these constitute ‘trustworthiness’/’fairness’]

7. The communication tactics question:
What can you do to (re)shape perceptions?
Honest Caring Willing to listen Similar
How could you act?
(Procedures, Timing, Setup, etc.)
What could you say?
(Messages)
How could say it?
(Tone, Style)
Who should say it?
(Source)
What formats?
(Channel, group size, etc.)
Smile, eparles; Listen, Montse PB; Charlotte, Sisters 4; Lindsay Bremer, Lamu Kenya: Stonetown Academy Suggestion Box, State Farm, Graduation & Safe Driving, all via Flickr Creative Commons
3.

8. What can you do to be
perceived as willing to listen?
Willing to listen
How could you act?
(Procedures, Timing, Setup, etc.)
Are you modeling respectful listening?
Did you leave enough time so people don’t worry about taking up time?
What could you say?
(Messages)
Do leaders describe how past listening has helped?
Do leaders regularly re-iterate specific commitments?
How could say it?
(Tone, Style)
How often to you use jargon that excludes?
Who should say it?
(Source)
Do you have people tasked with bringing quiet people into discussions?
Do you have people tasked with introducing people (i.e., a host)?
What formats?
(Channel, group size, etc.)
Are you allowing people to share views in multiple ways?
Does the technology/channel enable dialogue?
Smile, eparles; Listen, Montse PB; Charlotte, Sisters 4; Lindsay Bremer, Lamu Kenya: Stonetown Academy Suggestion Box, State Farm, Graduation & Safe Driving, all via Flickr Creative Commons
3b.

9. The communication tactics question:
What can you do to be perceived in that way?
Honest Caring Willing to listen Similar
How could you act?
(Procedures, Timing, Setup, etc.)
What could you say?
(Messages)
How could say it?
(Tone, Style)
Who should say it?
(Source)
What formats?
(Channel, group size, etc.)
3.
But you can’t
prioritize
everything

10. The implementation question:
What should you do next?
4.
Individuals: Commit to being the people you want to be
Organizers:
• Select what perceptions you want to prioritize
• Select tactics to advance priorities and pick some
• Ensure someone is responsible for implementing priorities
• Do a debrief after the meeting
• Iterate/Repeat …