What can The Traitors teach us about building trust?

Love it or loathe it, the cultural phenomenon that is The Traitors has got a thing or two to teach us about communication, relationships, and trust.

Here in my household, we’ve been glued to the telly three nights a week for each compelling episode. I’m particularly delighted to have found something that both daughters will watch together without bickering with each other – but we did plenty of yelling at the contestants on screen!

But now that season three has ended, and I’ll do my best not to reveal too many spoilers, I wanted to reflect on the insights this award-winning reality show can give us comms folk as we strive to build trust with communities. Because, traitor or faithful, building trust is the whole basis of success in the game.

I’m going to assume that you know the concept of The Traitors – if you haven’t seen it, imagine a group of contestants in a remote Scottish castle: secretly selected ‘traitors’ can murder other players, and the team of faithfuls try to banish the baddies with nothing to go on but their conversations, behaviour, and intuition. This leads to a constant state of suspicion and paranoia among the players. Sound familiar?! 

But let’s get into the insights The Traitors can give us communicators as we strive to build trust with the communities we’re working with every day.

One of the biggest takeaways is the importance of clear and honest communication.  How many times have we seen contestants get themselves into trouble simply because they weren’t clear about what they meant, or because they were trying to be too clever? 

A whispered word here, a misinterpreted glance there, and suddenly cliques crumble. Think about Alex’s stumbled phrase in the kitchen that made people instantly suspicious and led to his banishment at the round table that evening. 

It’s a reminder that in any situation, clarity is key.  Misunderstandings can breed mistrust faster than you can say “banished!” 

Public sector organisations owe it to our communities to be open about decisions, policies, and actions. Transparency allows the public to understand the how and why, reducing suspicion and fostering trust. 

How to be more clear and honest? 

• Use plain language, avoid jargon and make sure what you’re saying is accessible to everyone. 
• Be proactive with regular updates rather than just responding to comments and enquiries.
• Go where your audiences are: make use of all your channels and use insight to find out where the people you’re trying to reach are communicating. That’s how you’ll engage them.
• Be responsive, get back to people promptly, and if you can’t say anything, tell them that. It’s better to say something than nothing.

Speaking of mistrust, The Traitors is a fascinating study in the challenges of building trust in a deceptive environment. As our recent blog about misinformation highlighted, it’s incredibly difficult to build trust when there’s so much false and incorrect information out there. People just don’t know what, or who, to believe. 

The traitors are playing a game where lying is actively encouraged – they try everything from feigned vulnerabilities to strategic alliances. How many times have you heard a faithful utter the phrase “…it must be someone close to me”, in this series? It really makes you think about how we build trust in our own lives.

Do we rely on gut feeling? Do we look for consistent actions? The Traitors shows us just how fragile trust can be, and how easily it can be shattered.

In any strategy for tackling misinformation, it’s important for communicators to have an understanding of the motives of others, and to evaluate their intentions. That will help guide your approach. Key tactics in the deceptive environment include consistency, transparency, and showing clear, critical thinking.

With scarce information to go on, the contestants have got to read into body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice to convey, or conceal, their true intentions. A nervous fidget, a shifty eye, a suspicious head turn (Linda!) – these can speak volumes. It’s a lesson we can apply to our communications. In a digital world, engaging with people through your channels via a social media management platform can make it harder to pick up on the unspoken messages. 

The takeaway here is about listening and the wider context. Active social media listening can give comms teams a much broader perspective, and a better understanding why people and communities may be responding differently than you expect. Use the insight to inform your communications tactics. 

And consider the value of face to face communication in your channel mix. We’re increasingly seeing organisations return to more traditional in-person events; there is much trust to be built and richer insight gained by talking to people in a focus group or Q&A session. People feel appreciated, listened to, and often come away with a much better impression of an organisation as a result. You can share the outcomes of this engagement through your digital channels to show communities you’re listening and care about their voice.

The players who are good at reading others’ emotions, managing their own reactions, and adapting their communication style often have the upper hand. They’re the ones who can build rapport, influence decisions, and avoid suspicion. And if you’re a traitor, it’s the winning formula. Look at Harry from season two as the perfect example. Emotional intelligence is a skill that’s valuable not just in a high-stakes game like this, but in everyday interactions, from work meetings to family gatherings.

So, what can we learn from all this? Well, for starters, The Traitors highlights the importance of active listening. Really listening, not just waiting for your turn to speak. It emphasises the need for empathy, trying to understand things from the other person’s perspective. And it shows us the value of self-awareness. Being aware of our own biases and how we come across to others, as well as how those biases affect our work, is crucial for effective communication and building trust. 

These skills are generally plentiful in comms people, and they’re things you can work on in your professional development, as well as encourage in others. It’s a shame, but also pretty damning, that the first person murdered by the traitors in season three, was a communications professional. Yin had the potential to be an incredible ‘traitor hunter’ but it was smart for them to eliminate the threat.

The final fire-pit

These lessons on building trust aren’t just for future contestants. They’re relevant to all of us. Whether you’re managing a team at work, navigating family dynamics, or building a community online (something we think about a lot with our social media management platform!), the principles of clear communication and trust-building are essential.  Strong community engagement relies on it.  Think about it: if you want to boost engagement on your social channels, you need to build trust with your audience. And that starts with honest, open communication.

So, next time you’re thinking about Alexander carrying that stone statue up a hill, or Frankie’s fearsome helicopter flight, remember: it’s not just entertainment. It’s a fascinating case study in human behavior, a reminder of the complexities of communication, and a lesson in the enduring power of trust. 

And if you’d like to know more about what Orlo is doing to help public sector organisations build trust, just get in touch for a chat.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I am off for a secret meeting in the turret. Where did I put my cloak…?