Have you ever wondered how trust really works? Why do we trust others, and why do they trust us? It turns out that trust involves judgments of both competence and integrity, each of which matter a lot for how we’re trusted, and how—and if!—we’re forgiven if we break that trust. Dr. Kim offers four guiding lessons of wisdom for managing trust. In his words: first, start with the premise that most of us want to be good. Second, recognize the complexity of truth—take time to exchange stories and take the time to really listen. Third, recognize the upside of intent—it can be easier to maintain and repair trust when others believe our intentions are good. Fourth, building off a memorable case study from the book, recognize the need to walk through the doors: the time needs to be ripe for real reconciliation to happen. In this episode, Dr. Peter Kim from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California teaches us all about trust, reviewing decades of his own and others’ work to help us see how we can reap the benefits of trust, even though it can take hard work and unlearning ingrained habits and assumptions. Dr. Kim provides research-based insights and helpful practical tips for how we can get the most out of trust—for ourselves and others—in our lives.

Dr. Peter Kim bio:

Dr. Peter Kim is a Professor of Management and Organization at the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. Dr. Kim’s research focuses on the dynamics of social misperception and its implications for negotiations, work groups, and dispute resolution. His research has been published in numerous scholarly journals, received ten national and international awards, and been featured by the New York Times, Washington Post, and National Public Radio. He serves as a Senior Editor for Organization Science journal, as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Trust Research, and on the editorial boards of the Academy of Management Review and Negotiation and Conflict Management Research. He is a past Associate Editor for the Academy of Management Review and past Chair of the Academy of Management’s Conflict Management Division. He has also just completed his first mass-market book called, How Trust Works: The Science of How Relationships are Built, Broken, and Repaired. It is available from most bookstores.

Books referenced in the episode:

• Kim, P. H. (2024). How Trust Works: The Science of How Relationships are Built, Broken, and Repaired. New York: MacMillan.