The Thin Book of Trust, Third Edition: An Essential Primer for Building Trust at Work

“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.