Trust research in organizations and communities

A forty-year-old community

At AKBAN, we have to work trust using movement and physical practice. This is not new, it's what happens when people train, learning to fall safely, controlling potentially harmful techniques, and developing confidence. We understand now how an organization builds trust without using external threats.

The basic control needed to overcome instinctive hostility led to the development of the Itai Sheriff workshop, where biofeedback supports emotional regulation and trust development. In the dojo, trust isn't just present, it's challenged, it has to be explained, verified, and strengthened through talks and through direct experience.

The benefits of using Physical techniques for trust

Direct physical feedback can't be faked (words can)
Clear verification through shared trust anchors
Control of movement to be trustworthy is also the gateway to inner emotional control

Trust Development Process

Being worthy of trust comes before demanding trust from others
Building self-trust by developing discipline (control 101)
Knowing limits and complexity, advancing step by step
Making the dojo into a space where honest vulnerability is safe
No trust without good communication protocols. Establishing clear, reliable protocols for interaction

Community Architecture

Shared experience are vital, Trust anchors emerge from shared physical spaces and activities
Accountability, not central authority is healthier
Developing systems for rebuilding trust after disruption (regular talks, honesty, video feedback, mediation)

Trust frontiers

We don't live in an ivory tower, this is the highly volatile and suspicious middle-east, and it forces us to focus on four areas:

Measuring trust through our technology and tests. Talks are necessary but not a strong enough signal
Internal control to reliable, stable, behavior. Practicing emotional control
Always developing trust recovery protocols. Trust can be broken through premeditation, that means that the organization (team, friendship, community) must innovate trust, recovery and maintenance all the time. This is an ongoing R&D effort

Not alone

There are several ways you can engage with this work:

Get in touch: WhatsApp | Email
Train directly at AKBAN. (that's the hardest, we know)
Apply trust matrix concepts in your environment
Use our emotional control workshop to lessen the friction in your environment
Follow our ongoing articles in 'Trust Notes from the Dojo'