Dynamics

Trust in a relationship depends on the history and dynamics of the relationships. Four factors play an important role.

1. Power

2. Closeness

3. Uncertainty

4. Conflict

Power is the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others, the course of events, or the allocation of resources. Power comes from positional, moral, or relational authority. Authority is granted by appointment or earned by trust and credibility. Power can be exercised by embodying humility and promoting universal values, or by persuasion, manipulation, or deceit. The dynamics and impacts of power are multi-dimensional, context dependent, cumulative, and can be subtle. For example, the mere presence of a boss can unintentionally shut down subordinates.

Conflict can be healthy or destructive (“high conflict”). Amanda Ripley, journalist and author of “High Conflict—Why we get trapped and how we get out,”19 reminds us that any one of us can be swept up into conflicts that can spiral into self-perpetuating, all-consuming states of distrust, polarization, dehumanization, and harm.

In a recent podcast20 she shared her mindset for interviewing people whose beliefs and values clash with hers. Recognizing the potential for high conflict, she said,

“I'm not interested in resolving it. I’m also not interested in avoiding it, ... My goal, as a journalist and as a human, is if I can do one of three things: Can I, myself, understand the other person, the problem, or myself a little better through this encounter?”