Fixing Broken Trust in Conflict
- Shiv Martin
- Jul 23
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 14
What Government Agencies and Legal Systems Get Wrong About Trust in Conflict (And How to Get It Right)
Why Trust Matters in Mediation, Conciliation, and Conflict Resolution
How Social Identity Shapes Trust in Institutions
The Role of Emotion and Empathy in Building Connection
What the Research Tells Us: Insights from Social Identity Theory
Practical Steps to Rebuild Trust in Dispute Resolution Settings
Frequently Asked Questions
If you work in dispute resolution, trust is everything. As a mediator, when I’m inviting people into a difficult conversation, it’s not the process that gets them to the table, it’s their trust in me. As an early resolution officer, when I’m explaining an outcome over the phone, no amount of policy language will land if the person on the other end doesn’t feel heard or respected. As an investigator, if I want accurate, honest, and detailed information, I won’t get it without first earning trust. And as a decision maker, a carefully written outcome doesn’t mean much if it isn’t trusted by the people it affects.
Without trust, a decision is just words on a page, unlikely to lead to compliance, mutual understanding, or even peace of mind. In fact, it can do the opposite.
Trust is the thread that holds resolution work together. And yet, in so many government and regulatory settings, we treat trust like it’s automatic or worse, irrelevant. So this week, I want to talk about how we shift this from a practical perspective, but informed by my academic research in this space.
My take on Identity, Inclusion and Institutional Change
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve had the privilege of speaking with hundreds of staff across different dispute resolution organisations, from frontline complaint handlers to team leaders and policy stars. In every conversation, one issue has kept coming up: trust. That is, what happens when trust breaks down, and what it takes to rebuild it. This is something I’ve been thinking about a lot. As a mediator, I’ve spent years supporting people through conflict. But recently, in my ongoing professional development, I’ve been digging deeper into social, health and personal psychology, looking for research that helps explain why trust in institutions is declining, and what we can do about it.
One of the most useful frameworks I’ve come across is Social Identity Theory. And I want to share why I think it’s so powerful, not just for understanding people, but for designing more effective policies, services, and conversations that rebuild trust.
Does this conversation resonate with you? Let's talk more about how I can support the rebuilding of trust in your work contact@shivmartin.com
Why identity matters in trust
Social Identity Theory (SIT) helps us understand how people see themselves in relation to others. We naturally sort ourselves into groups, based on things like background, language, profession, religion, values. These groups shape how we view the world, who we trust, and who we think is “on our side." People are more likely to trust an institution, like a court, government agency, ombudsman, or even a complaints team, if they see it as representing their values, identity, or community. But if an institution is seen as distant, biased, or only working for other people, trust in conflict erodes.
Trust starts with human connection
Before we even talk about trust in institutions, we need to start at the individual level. In my training with dispute resolution staff, I often talk about the importance of pathos in our communication not as a rhetorical flourish, but as a core part of building trust. It’s about how people feel when they’re speaking with us. Do they feel heard, respected, and understood? Or do they feel like a number in a process?
Many organisations in government and regulatory settings well-meaningly focus on legislation, policy, and affirming their role as referees, watchdogs or neutral decision-makers. While these roles are important, the unintended impact can be a sense of distance from the very communities they aim to serve. By prioritising procedural correctness over relational connection, they risk becoming faceless systems rather than trusted institutions.
At the heart of most conflict is a human need for connection and that’s exactly what gets overlooked in bureaucratic practices. If we want to build trust in our institutions, we have to first build trust in the moment, one conversation at a time. That starts with empathy, presence, and a willingness to see the person behind the problem.
What the research tells us
Here are three key things Social Identity Theory teaches us about trust and how to rebuild it:
1.People trust institutions that include them
If people see their identity, values, or lived experience reflected in an organisation, whether through leadership, communication, or service design, they’re more likely to trust and cooperate with it.
2. Trust breaks down when people feel excluded
Mistrust often comes from not feeling seen or respected. Discrimination, underrepresentation, or even just a lack of voice can make people feel like the system isn’t for them so they disengage, resist, or challenge it.
3. Trust can be rebuilt through shared identity and fairness
The good news is that trust isn’t fixed. It can grow when institutions show fairness, create space for people to contribute, and build a sense of “we” instead of “us and them.”
So what can we do?
From my work and from some great real-world research here are a few practical ways we can build trust using these insights:
Co-design services with the people who use them
Let’s stop designing policies or processes for communities and start doing it with them. When people help shape the system, they’re more likely to trust it.
Acknowledge people’s lived experience
Trust isn’t built through perfect messaging. It comes from genuinely listening to people’s stories, recognising past harms, and validating their concerns. This is especially important in communities that have experienced exclusion or injustice.
Focus on procedural fairness
Research shows that even when people don’t get the outcome they want, they’re more likely to trust the process if they feel they were treated fairly, had a voice, and were respected. That’s a huge insight for anyone working in complaints, regulation or decision-making.
Invest in identity-aware leadership
Leaders can build trust when they communicate shared goals and act in ways that benefit everyone, not just their own “in-group.” Representation matters, but so does the daily work of being visible, accountable and inclusive.
Why this matters for us
These ideas connect directly to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16 – which is all about building effective, inclusive and accountable institutions. That’s the future I want to contribute to not just through mediation, but by sharing the lessons we’re learning along the way.
If this resonates with you, I invite you to keep following my blog, or come along to one of my free webinars. I share practical insights from the frontlines of conflict resolution, and always leave space for conversation. Because rebuilding trust, in our organisations and our communities, is something we do together.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the role of trust in workplace mediation?Trust enables open dialogue and cooperation. Without it, parties are less likely to engage or reach resolution.
2. How can Social Identity Theory improve government service delivery?By recognising how identity influences trust, services can be designed to be more inclusive and culturally responsive.
3. What’s the difference between conciliation and mediation?Both are facilitated processes, but conciliation often includes a more advisory role and is used in regulatory or statutory settings.
4. How do leadership styles impact trust in institutions?Leaders who listen, include, and act fairly build trust. This is where identity-aware leadership coaching can have a big impact.
5. Why is reflective practice important in conflict resolution?Reflective practice helps dispute resolution professionals stay attuned to their biases, improve communication, and maintain empathy under pressure.
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Shiv Martin is a nationally accredited mediator, practicing solicitor, conciliator, decision-maker, and certified vocational trainer. With extensive experience in complex dispute resolution, stakeholder engagement, and team building across business, community, and governmental sectors, Shiv brings over a decade of unique and diverse expertise in Law, Management, Vocational Education, and Mediation.
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