Trust: like water, like electricity, our society can’t function without it. It’s a treasure, a living thing that can be cultivated and grown. But it can also wither and die, and it is increasingly under threat.

From neighbourhoods to nations, we must get serious about trust and act before this precious resource runs out entirely.

When Jimmy Wales founded Wikipedia more than two decades ago, he changed the landscape of knowledge forever – although almost no one realised it at the time. Today, people view Wikipedia 11 billion times every month in the English language alone. But in our ‘post-truth’ era, where the internet is a sea of disinformation and facts are increasingly malleable, Wales reminds us that it’s more important than ever to return to the problem at the heart of it all: that without trust, we have no knowledge. And without knowledge, we can’t fight back.

Derived from decades of observation, participation and discussion with leaders across the world, these are his clear, actionable rules for building trust in business, leadership and life. The Seven Rules of Trust reveals the fundamental principles that transformed a website which was once regarded as a highly dubious source of information to a universally trusted source for facts.

This book will help you become a trust-maker. To build deeper connections with others so you can be a better neighbour, a more understanding friend, even someone who can turn back the tide and inspire others to follow you. If you want to strengthen your relationships or simply bring more happiness and fulfilment into your life, then this is where to start.