Applying the Trust Triangle in Nursing: 3 Best Practices

Nursing is a profession that is heavily built on trust. Patients rely on nurses to keep their best interests at heart, and nurses must be able to lean on each other to collaborate effectively. As a nursing leader, applying the Frances Frei trust triangle is a great way to build a culture that supports these values and facilitates optimal nursing care.

But what exactly is the triangle of trust and how do you utilize it to support your team? In this article, we’ll go over the foundations of this trust-driven framework and outline best practices for applying it to nursing leadership.

What Is the Frances Frei Trust Triangle?

The triangle of trust is a leadership model that outlines three fundamental elements of building and maintaining trust: authenticity, logic, and empathy. This model was developed by Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei, who spent years building leadership experience and researching interpersonal behaviors within organizations. According to Frei, a deficiency in any one of these three elements can erode trust and weaken relationships in the workplace.

What Are the 3 Fundamental Elements of Trust? Explanation and Examples

So, how exactly are these elements of trust defined? To give you a better sense of the driving principles behind Frei’s model, we’ll outline what each element means and provide an example of how these principles are practiced in nursing.

Authenticity

Authenticity is the ability to truly be yourself. Practicing this principle involves embracing who you are and showing what you really think and feel about a situation.

Example: A nurse manager holds a team meeting to discuss increasing rates of readmissions on the unit. She is transparent about the issue and takes genuine interest in her team’s concerns, using collaborative decision-making to improve care practices.

Logic

Being logical means having sound judgment. Making logical decisions requires the ability to effectively reason and problem-solve using facts and data

Example: A nurse reviews a patient’s medical history before administering a newly prescribed medication. She notices that the team overlooked an allergy, and she makes the decision to delay administration to consult the physician.

Empathy

Empathy is the ability to put yourself in the shoes of others and understand what they are experiencing. During interactions, practicing empathy involves actively listening and paying attention to others so that you can immerse yourself in their perspectives.

Example: A patient being prepped for surgery is noticeably irritable and anxious. Using empathy to understand the underlying cause of these emotions, the nurse sets aside additional time to listen to the patient’s concerns and provides supportive measures and information that might comfort them.

Applying the Trust Triangle in Leadership: 3 Best Practices

As shown in the examples above, there are several ways that these elements of trust relate to the nursing profession. As such, finding ways to model these principles for your staff can help strengthen team dynamics and improve patient care. Below we’ll outline best practices for applying each of the three elements of the trust triangle framework in nursing leadership.

1. Encourage and Welcome Staff to Be Themselves

As a nursing leader, fostering authenticity in the workplace extends beyond your own ability to share your true thoughts. It also involves encouraging your staff to do the same. This centers primarily around promoting and welcoming diversity in the workplace. In healthcare especially, building a more diverse workforce is also an important way to support culturally competent care.

However, it’s one thing to hire a diverse team of nurses. It’s another to bridge different perspectives in a constructive way. People naturally tend to focus on what they have in common with others. When left unchecked, this focus can encourage a culture of forcing consensus rather than collective decision-making — regardless of how “diverse” your team is. You can channel and encourage authenticity among your nursing teams by:

• Giving all of your staff equal opportunity to pitch their thoughts and opinions.
• Checking in with yourself before shooting an unfamiliar idea down.
• Leaving time and space to listen to perspectives that differ from your own.

2. Make Data-Driven Decisions

Using logic to lead others means knowing what you’re talking about. In nursing, this entails sticking to the facts and making data-driven decisions, then communicating these decisions to your staff. Communication is a skill that takes time to improve. But if you have a strong pulse on what’s affecting your facility, staff, and patients, you’ll have an easier time relaying this information to your teams in a clear manner. Here are a few strategies for collecting and utilizing data to drive logical decision-making:

• Conduct patient experience surveys to learn how patients feel about your services.
• Utilize employee feedback tools to promote shared governance.
• Track key care metrics, such as quality measures, that objectively evaluate team performance.

3. Be Fully Present in Staff Interactions

Channeling empathy is not a new concept for nursing professionals. Nurses are constantly demonstrating empathy toward their patients, exercising active listening and therapeutic communication techniques to provide the best care possible.

Just as your nurses are expected to demonstrate empathy for their patients, you should be doing the same for your staff. If your nurses feel that you’re listening to them and advocating for their needs, they’ll inherently trust you more. This fundamentally comes down to being fully present during staff interactions, with the intention of unpacking any challenges that your nurses are facing.

For example, if your nursing staff are feeling burnt out, it’s important to avoid dismissing their concerns as “complaints.” Instead, listen to and acknowledge their perspectives, as they may have insights that can help you improve your staffing strategy. This will ultimately improve employee satisfaction and help prevent future turnover.

Make Continuous Efforts to Build Trust With Your Staff

Applying the trust triangle requires ongoing efforts to build relationships with your staff. At IntelyCare, we understand the importance of providing trustworthy information to help you do this. Looking for additional guidance? Our expert team offers dozens of free and practical facility management tips delivered straight to your inbox.