Hello, Reader,

When we talk about enabling service design to take root inside organisations—whether that’s building a service architecture, launching transformation projects, or embedding design capability—it’s tempting to jump straight into tools, structures, and processes. But lately, I’ve been sitting with a deeper question:

What truly needs to be in place first?

It’s a theme I’m exploring for several upcoming conference talks, where I’ll be speaking about the foundational conditions required for service design to actually stick—not just surface-level adoption, but long-term, sustainable cultural integration.

A recent newsletter by Melis Sanova, a designer I deeply respect, gave me language for something I’ve been sensing for years but hadn’t quite articulated. In it, she explored the relationship between trust and respect—and how we often think of them as linear. That trust comes first, then respect follows. But it’s not that simple. They’re interdependent. Messy. Sometimes circular.

Still, trust is almost always the catalyst. Without it, respect struggles to grow. Without respect, collaboration stalls. And without collaboration, design becomes just another function fighting for attention.

One framework I find helpful when talking to clients and teams is the Trust Equation by David Maister, Charles Green, and Robert Galford:

I like it, as it's clear and pretty easy to grasp. Which is helpful when your brain is like mine. Anyway...

It's broken down like this.

Trust = (Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy) / Self-Orientation

This breaks trust down into behaviours we can actually observe and act on:

• Credibility – Are you skilled? Do you speak with honesty? Can others rely on your knowledge and judgment?
• Reliability – Do you follow through? Mean what you say, and say what you mean? Do you show up prepared, consistently, even when no one is watching?
• Intimacy – Do people feel safe with you? Can you listen without judgement? Are you discreet, empathetic, and kind?
• Self-Orientation – Are your actions in service of the team, the citizen, the organisation—or are they about you? Honestly, I see this more often than not when I coach teams. Too often, people fail to realise (or don't possess the tools to see) that they are creating services around themselves, and this can be really problematic. But more about this another time...

This last one is so important, especially in leadership.

So what does this mean in practice?

If you’re building a design team, hiring for leadership, or trying to embed a service architecture, start here.

Ask the tough questions. Not just “Can this person deliver a good workshop?” but “Can this person create the conditions for others to feel heard, respected, and safe enough to explore the unknown?”

Design isn’t just about solving problems. It’s about enabling environments where complexity can be surfaced, held, and worked through—together.

And that only happens when trust is present.

It’s the foundation of everything else: respect, collaboration, innovation, and ultimately, the outcomes we care about.

If we skip this step—or assume it’s already there—we end up building on sand.

Finally

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Gerry Scullion​ Founder & Designer Connect with me on LinkedIn | Join our Directory | Write a podcast review for This is HCD Podcast​

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