The Calculus of Trust
- Brainz Magazine
- Aug 15
- 8 min read
Written by Matthew Hutcheson, E.P.I.C.™ Philosophy
Matthew Hutcheson is well-known for having survived a politically motivated false allegation leading to his eventual incarceration. Now, Hutcheson and his wife advise law firms and organizations of all sizes on leadership and strategy. He is the author of the book Rapport, published in 2025, and the host of the E.P.I.C. podcast.
Trust is not a casual sentiment. It is, quite literally, the structural integrity of human connection. Without it, relationships collapse under the weight of suspicion and self-preservation. With it, every interaction becomes lighter, freer, and more creative. Trust is the most valuable social currency on earth, but unlike economic currency, it cannot be merely earned once and stashed away in an account. It must be earned and re-earned, and nurtured, and cultivated; safeguarded and continually verified through action.
From an E.P.I.C. (Ethos, Perspective, Influence, Carry-On) lens within The Philosophy of Hutch™, trust is the unifying force that integrates all four pillars into functional alignment. Ethos provides moral credibility; Perspective ensures fairness and empathy; Influence extends reach and impact; Carry-On sustains the consistency necessary for trust to endure.
Academic research affirms this multidimensional view of trust, showing that it is simultaneously cognitive (belief in reliability), affective (emotional safety), and behavioral (predictable follow-through) (Mayer, Davis, & Schoorman, 1995; Rousseau et al., 1998).
In this article, Matthew Hutcheson brilliantly ties together the elements of trust into a simple mathematical formula that anyone can use to assess the trust within their relationships and restore trust when it is lost.
The nature of trust
If someone trusts you, that person has invested in you. Like any investment, first protect against loss, then help it grow. Some say trust is earned. Others say trust is given. While both hold true in given contexts, another analogy to consider is that trust is like water, flowing along the path of least resistance. At first, it exists simply until the slightest speck of doubt appears. Then obstructions to the flow emerge.
Obstacles to the flow of “trust water” include your contradictions, lack of detail, inconsistency, failure to give advance notice of a delay, failure to explain a delay afterward, and adding complexity where simplicity should prevail. Every relationship is in either an increasing or decreasing state of trust. There is no such thing as “static trust.”
Increasing trust diminishes suspicion; increasing suspicion diminishes trust. Some people want everyone to trust them while refusing to trust anyone else. Trust is simple. Distrust is complex. No matter how trustworthy you are, there will always be someone who does not trust you. This is often a projection of their own self-distrust onto you.
When something unexpected happens, promptly convey information and detail your course of action. This preserves trust. Revealing increases trust; concealing erodes it. Not everyone deserves your trust, and be sure to give it when it is deserved. Likewise, you may not always deserve the trust of others; however, this can be honorably changed.
Trustworthiness increases in direct proportion to living by the “Two Laws”:
Do all you agree to do.
Do not encroach.
Coupled with multiplying that effect through sincere and expressed vulnerability, raised to the exponent of influence.
Influence: The engine of trust
Within The Philosophy of Hutch™, I define influence as:
Influence = Reputation × Credibility.
Reputation
Reputation is the story others tell about you when you are absent. It is the placement of a person within society’s structure and hierarchy based upon credibility and trust. Thus, mathematically it could be expressed as: Reputation = Credibility × Trust.
Credibility
Credibility is the weight and reliability of society’s story about you in the real world. In other words, credibility is what others believe you CAN do. Whereas trust is what others believe you WILL do.
Influence
Influence, therefore, is the product of reputation and credibility. When the value of both is high, your ability to affect others without force becomes profound. Influence built on this equation is not manipulation; it is an earned capacity to inspire alignment and action.
Influence is a feeling born at the intersection of admiration and respect and found in the nexus of anticipation and curiosity. It makes people feel a certain way. This feeling is not mere emotion; it is elevation and magnification. It impels followers to emulate the leader willingly. It fosters safety, belonging, and stability, tempering reactions to a leader’s mistakes or disciplinary corrections. It shapes the acceptance of organizational boundaries and missions established by the leader. This form of influence is deliberate, principled, and enduring. It evokes rightful expectations, hopeful anticipations, and heroic aspirations.
Influence manifests in two forms
Type A influence
This is the influence intended to be exerted. It is shallow, temporary, often performative, and easily measured in clicks, likes, and comments. It trends quickly but fades just as fast.
Type B influence
This is unintentional influence. It radiates from the deep alignment of words and deeds. It is meaningful, transformative, and often leaves ripples the influencer never sees. This is the influence of Jesus, Nelson Mandela, Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and Maya Angelou. It seeks no recognition, deadline, or fame, only the well-being of humanity.
Research on authentic leadership supports this distinction: leaders who act from deeply held values, without manipulating for personal gain, generate long-term trust and loyalty that transcend trends (Avolio & Gardner, 2005).
The role of vulnerability
If reputation and credibility are the structural beams of influence, vulnerability is the light that floods the room. It is the conscious choice to reveal your humanity, your uncertainties, lessons learned, and willingness to be wrong. It signals: I trust you enough to be real with you.
In The Philosophy of Hutch™, vulnerability is not weakness or passive exposure to harm. Rather, it is the courage to entrust another with something that could wound you: a pain, fear, flaw, mistake, regret, hope, or dream. It assumes that such a disclosure will be tenderly and safely received. This vulnerability dismantles defensiveness, accelerates rapport, and transforms calculated respect into genuine connection.
Empirical studies show that vulnerability fosters reciprocity and deepens relational bonds (Brown, 2012; Nienaber, Hofeditz, & Searle, 2014). In practice, it demands active listening, a refusal to gossip, and the discipline to hold another’s story in full acceptance without judgment.
The two laws: The bedrock of trust
From The Philosophy of Hutch™, as adapted from Maybury (2004), two simple yet transformative laws underpin enduring trust:
1. Do all you agree to do
This could be referred to as “The law of reliability.” Every kept promise strengthens the mental bridge between words and actions.
2. Never encroach on another person or their property
This could be referred to as “The law of respect.” Assure others through your actions that they are safe in your presence, free from exploitation, free from worry about the violation of law number one.
I have taught these laws to thousands of men in prison. Those who embraced them experienced immediate transformation. Self-respect was restored, relationships were healed, and pathways opened to higher principles and greater opportunities. If universally followed, prisons would empty and communities would thrive. They embody the behavioral foundation upon which trust is built. Generational prisoners lack this one insight: If these two rules were taught and obeyed in their homes, there would be no need for a criminal justice system. They have the power to end it.
These principles align with the deontological ethics tradition (Kant, 1785/1993) and modern restorative justice frameworks (Zehr, 2015), both of which emphasize honoring commitments and respecting boundaries as prerequisites to social harmony.
The complete trust equation
Trust = (L² × V)i
Where:
L² = The Two Laws V = Vulnerability i = Influence (Reputation × Credibility)
This is a living calculus: remove any element and trust erodes; integrate them fully and you create a relationship resilient enough to withstand life’s most turbulent storms. Trust is the crown jewel of human connection.
To master trust is to master the architecture of human connection. Influence without vulnerability is cold. Vulnerability without the Two Laws is reckless. But when the Two Laws form your bedrock, vulnerability becomes your beacon and influences your bridge. Then trust becomes inevitable, magnetic, and enduring.
In the words of The Philosophy of Hutch™: It is not money that makes the world go round. It is influence. But only if it is Type B influence born of integrity, benevolence, and consistency will it endure.
A deeper dive into the formula’s meaning
Trust = (L² × V)ⁱ is a precise leadership equation revealing that trust is the amplified product of moral foundation and human connection:
L²: “the two laws”
These are the immutable guiding principles of your ethos, the bedrock of your credibility. Squaring “L” signifies that both laws multiply together to form a stronger base than either could alone. L² is the codified ethos (moral standard) that defines who you are as a leader.
V: Vulnerability
This is the bridge between you and those you lead. Vulnerability signals openness, humanity, and accessibility, making your principles relatable and believable. Without vulnerability, laws feel cold; with it, they come alive.
i: Influence
Acting as an exponent, influence doesn’t just add to trust, it multiplies it at scale. The greater your influence, the more powerful the effect of your laws and vulnerability on trust formation. Influence allows you to see how laws and vulnerability interact in different contexts and adapt them accordingly. This is perspective. In this formula, influence is not the goal but the amplifier elevating the trust that flows from principles and openness.
Leadership significance
This formula makes trust measurable and teachable:
Remove L², and you lose (ethos) moral authority.
Remove V, and you lose emotional connection, which diminishes trust.
Remove i, and trust remains small, localized, or even non-existent.
It also provides a diagnostic tool: If trust is lacking, leaders can examine which factor is missing or underdeveloped.
Read more from Matthew Hutcheson
Matthew Hutcheson, E.P.I.C.™ Philosophy
Matthew Hutcheson is a leader's leader. After years of working with elected officials in Washington, D.C. and powerful law firms around the world, he found himself in federal prison following a political dispute turned political attack. There, he developed a philosophy for overcoming trauma titled E.P.I.C.™ and helped over 200 inmates earn their GED's. Today, he provides leadership training to organizations on every continent and advises premier law firms on strategy. His mission: Help others to "defeat anything, triumph over everything, be limited by nothing, and emerge as an unstoppable force."
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