If you’ve ever stepped into a vulnerable school or a fractured community with a clipboard full of good intentions, you’ve likely seen it in eyes, before you heard it in voices, hesitation, guardedness, and quiet doubt. “We’ve seen people like you before.” And they’re right because, before it leads to a strategy, a policy, or a professional learning plan, equity work is a test of character. It asks not just what we believe, but how far we’re willing to go for that belief. And the first proof people look for is trust.

But what is trust, really? Psychologically, trust is a relational posture built on three expectations: competence, integrity, and benevolence (Mayer, Davis, & Schoorman, 1995).

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David E. Kirkland, PhD, is the founder and CEO of forwardED. He is a nationally renowned scholar and leading expert on education equity. He can be reached at david@forward-ed.com