​Building rapport helps you get a new relationship off on the right foot. Over time, you can earn the person’s trust the same way you do amongst family and friends. The business world started talking about the 'Trust Equation’ in 2000 after management expert David Maister featured it in his book, The Trusted Advisor.

​The equation represents some clever thinking, but most of us already understand the underlying concepts. The formula implies that you will earn someone’s trust if you know what you’re talking about (credibility), do what you say you’ll do (reliability), act like a decent, honest human being (intimacy) and try to focus on their needs rather than your own (self-orientation). In other words, if you want to be trusted, be a trustworthy person. The second illustarion a less mathematical way of thinking about how to earn trust.