The Thin Book of Trust, Third Edition

“I have used his definitions of trust and distrust in every book I've written.”
-Brené Brown, bestselling author of Dare to Lead

Nearly 100,000 copies sold. A modern classic on building trust-now updated for today's workplace.

Trust isn't a feeling. It's a skill.

In this fully updated third edition of The Thin Book of Trust, bestselling author Charles Feltman delivers a clear, practical framework for building, restoring, and sustaining trust in organizations-especially in a post-pandemic world where connection, accountability, and reliability matter more than ever.

Short, powerful, and immediately actionable, this book breaks trust down into learnable competencies. You'll discover
• the four distinct elements that create (or erode) trust;
• how to identify and repair broken trust quickly;
• practical language for high-stakes conversations; and
• tools to strengthen trust across teams, remote workplaces, and leadership levels.

Whether you're a leader, coach, consultant, HR professional, or individual contributor, your ability to build trust directly impacts performance, culture, retention, and results.

This expanded third edition includes a new study guide and downloadable resources to help individuals and teams apply the framework in real time.

If you want stronger teams, clearer communication, and a culture where people actually deliver on their commitments, this is your playbook.

Become the kind of leader-and colleague-others trust without hesitation.

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface to the Third Edition
• Introduction Trust in the Work Environment
• Chapter 1: The Language of Trust
• Chapter 2: Care: We’re in this together
• Chapter 3: Sincerity: I mean what I say, say what I mean, and act accordingly
• Chapter 4: Reliability: You can count on me to deliver what I promise
• Chapter 5: Competence: I know I can do this—I don’t know if I can do that
• Chapter 6: Confronting Distrust
• Chapter 7: When You’ve Betrayed Another’s Trust
• Chapter 8: Trust, Distrust, and the Brain
• Chapter 9: Trust and Team Success
• Chapter 10: Putting It into Practice
• Discussion Guide
• Notes
• Trust at Work Field Guide
• Acknowledgments
• Index
• About the Author

“I have used Feltman's definitions of trust and distrust in every book I've written, because they are practical and actionable and, at the same time, deep and meaningful. It was important to me to dig into these definitions and explore how they play out at work, in relationships, and in our everyday lives.”
-Brené Brown, bestselling author of Dare to Lead

“Trust is the foundation of everything we do and the key leadership competency of the new global economy. This book teaches those traits that will help you earn and keep the trust of those with whom you work.”
-Stephen M. R. Covey, author of the New York Times bestseller The Speed of Trust

“Brands, businesses, and teams need a solid foundation from which to grow and thrive-the very best place to start is trust. This book is a tremendous read to better understand this indispensable ingredient of success-whether it's your first day on the job or you're the CEO.”
-Chris Hufnagel, President and CEO, Wolverine Worldwide

“Trust is a complex and nuanced concept, but too often it is applied as an over-simplified generalization that lacks utility. Feltman provides a uniquely powerful framework to explore what is hiding below the surface of trust, what key factors contribute to building or eroding it, and how a shared understanding of these drivers can have an immediate, positive impact on the performance of any team.”
-Brian Egan, Co-Founder and CEO, Evolve