My Go-To Tip for Building Trust: The Ethics of Framing Uncertainty

Use uncertainty to show that your advice is grounded in both data and ethical decision-making. Build trust. Communicate with FINESSE!

When I present technical findings to senior decision makers, I focus on ethically framing uncertainty. Openly acknowledging uncertainty, rather than presenting data as definitive, fosters trust.

Ethics as a Strategic Advantage

Ethics are critical. In the FINESSE framework, ethics are “how we make decisions.” As the E in the FINESSE Fishbone Diagram, it's one of seven factors in effective communication.

For me, that means being transparent about assumptions, data limitations, and confidence levels. I don’t bury caveats in footnotes—I surface them, and I explain what they mean for the decision at hand.

Trust Is Earned, Not Assumed

This approach has helped me shift from being seen as just a technical specialist to being a trusted advisor. When I frame uncertainty well, I’m not just saying “we don’t know”—I show what we know, what’s likely, and what to watch. This clarity gives decision makers confidence that I’m guiding a process, not just selling a solution.

Build Trust: A Tip Worth Sharing

Trust isn’t built by having all the answers. It’s built by showing that I understand the stakes, respect the audience’s role, and communicate with integrity. Framing uncertainty is one way I show that.

If you’re a technical communicator seeking trust, don’t avoid gray areas. Frame them. Own them. Use them to show your advice is based on both data and ethical decision-making.

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JD Solomon is the author of Communicating Reliability, Risk & Resiliency to Decision Makers: How to Get Your Boss’s Boss to Understand and Facilitating with FINESSE: A Guide to Successful Business Solutions.